#soldier son trilogy

[smalltownfae]

Soldier Son is a struggle... I don't know if it's because I expected something more emotional out of Robin Hobb or what, but I just have to force myself to read it and it's not fun. I read and liked book with unlikeable characters before so I don't understand why I find these ones so unbearable. Maybe it's because there are so many of them. 95% of these characters are extremelly shitty and prejudiced against races they think are inferior. It's just... terrible all around. Even if I do like Nevare I am not sure if that is gonna be enough. If I give up again there is really no hope. I keep trying, but how can the same person that wrote my favourite series write this? Not only is almost everyone vile, but the book still manages to be extremelly boring after the first chapter. I can't even retain much information because I am so bored that I just want to be done with it.

[booksopandah]

Shaman’s Crossing by Robin Hobb (Soldier’s Son #1)

So, a bit of background: I started this book because I saw the second book in the series at the library and thought it looked cool. I was especially convinced because I have seen the author’s name a lot online, generally in positive terms.

Imagine my shock then, when this book was … fine? It wasn’t great, and I was often confused by poorly explained plot points, not to mention the imperialism and all the rest, plus it just became another boarding school fantasy book about 1/3 of the way through. But it also wasn’t bad. The writing was usually pretty good, the world was really interesting, and if more of the problems were addressed, it could likely be both unique and very good. Unfortunately, it wasn’t.

There’s not really a ton to talk about. Super vague European Analogue country is committing imperialism on a nomadic native population, a la USA and Native Americans. This occupies a lot of the setting, until the main character is packed up and sent to the Officer’s Academy. Some spiritual magic shenanigans happened before this, but whatever. School happens, lad is bullied for things outside of his control (almost like there are systemic issues here, and boy howdy he does not see them), and then the book ends, with a few more narrative flourishes than that. I hope book 2 is more interesting.

[jaxaliel]

robin hobb should be writing yuri

[leafykat]

i am a LITTLE sorry that by making gay rote fanart im spoiling things like "the fool is a major character and extremely gay with fitz" because somehow i read the soldier son trilogy first and thought i knew what i was getting into, only to have assassin's quest blow my little mind. whereas i feel like if u go into it expecting gay then like the first 5/6ths of the farseer trilogy are like "...so what is the truth" and i have to sweat anxiously like please keep going

[commandercoriandersalamander]

I think we all need to have a moment of thanks for the editors at HarperCollins Voyager and Bantam Spectra who read the entirety of the Fitz and Beloved's developing relationship and then looked Robin Hobb in the eyes and said, yes, this is platonic, I agree. Unsung heroes.

[cutie4560]

Drew up a Older Shail, nearing the time of the LOTR Trilogy.

Nicknamed the "Bloody Badger Queen"

Took up training soldiers in the Ironhills on survival tactics

Half blinded and scarred after protecting her son from a warg attack

Grew out her beard and hair, a bit neater with braiding but still filled with foilage.from the forrest

Wears a makeshift cape from Ori's old coat from their journey to reclaim the lonely mountain.

[theaguanzon]

The heart is a battlefield.

All Talasyn has ever known is the Hurricane Wars. Growing up an orphan in a nation under siege by the ruthless Night Emperor, Talasyn has found her family among the soldiers who fight for freedom. But she is hiding a deadly secret: light magic courses through her veins, a blazing power believed to have been wiped out years ago that can cut through the Night Empire’s shadows.

Alaric of House Ossinast, the emperor’s only son and heir, has been forged into a weapon by his father. Tasked with obliterating any threats to the Night Empire’s rule with the strength of his armies and mighty shadow magic, Alaric has never been bested. That is until he sees Talasyn burning brightly on the battlefield with the magic that killed his grandfather, turned his father into a monster, and ignited the Hurricane Wars. In a clash of light and dark, their powers merge and create a force the likes of which has never been seen.

Talasyn and Alaric both know this war can only end with them. But a greater threat is coming, and the strange new magic they can create together could be the only way to overcome it. Thrust into an uneasy alliance, they will confront the secrets at the heart of the war and find, in each other, a searing passion—one that could save their world…or destroy it.

I finally get to scream about this! Behold the US and UK covers (in that order) of the first book in my HURRICANE WARS trilogy, out this October 3rd from Harper Voyager! These are the lush, stormy artworks of my dreams, by none other than the fantastic Kelly Chong a.k.a afterblossom 🌩️

U.S. Preorders

U.K. Preorders

[julesthequirky]

Jensen and Characters

Hunted: Series: After being stood up, the reader finds the company of Dean Winchester, only to later realise it was all meticulously planned.

Theirs: Series: Back in Helena, the reader captures the attention of two Alphas, Beau and Dean (not Winchester).

The Choice: Series: Three of your favourite characters turn up in your home, and as you get close, you have a decision to make. Who are you sending?

Healing Her: Series: DV survivor moves to Montana to make a fresh start and gains attraction from the Sheriff, Beau Arlen.

Chapter One

Beautiful Trauma: Mini-Series; The reader finds out that after nearly forty years, Ben is alive. (Ben x Reader)

Chapter One. Chapter Two. Chapter Three. Chapter Four

Brat: Series: In order to adjust her behaviour and attitude, Y/N is sent to John’s and whilst she’s there, John’s sons, Sam and Dean take a liking to her.

Falling For The Sheriff: Part of the Creedence Creek Cowboys Trilogy Series; Reader's car breaks down outside of a small southern town and who else comes to her rescue? None other than Sheriff Dean Winchester.

Broken and Unfixable: Drabble; Dean hits the reader with some hard “truths”.

All Out of Options: Drabble; Reader resorts to a last option. (Dean x Reader)

Under The Mistletoe: Drabble; There’s mistletoe. And Dean (Dean x Reader)

Toy Soldier: Ficlet; The reader finds Michael in her apartment.

Classroom Humiliation: Oneshot; Reader gets humiliated in class. (Jensen x Reader)

[sotwk]

Got any headcanon about Thranduils relationship with his assistant, Feren?

OhMySqueeeee! I ADORE FEREN. Love or hate The Hobbit Trilogy, he is one of the best created-for-film characters to come out of those movies. He is its Lindir equivalent!

Feren will gradually develop into an important supporting character in the SotWK AU. I've even created an additional OC to be his twin sister; her name is Celuwen and she will also be an important side character in the series. (Both make guest appearances in my recent Young Legolas fic, "Greenleaf's Tree".)

For now, here are the key points I have regarding Feren's character history and his relationship with Thranduil and his family:

SotWK Canon Spotlight: Feren, Captain of the Mirkwood Kingsguard

Feren is a full-blooded Silvan elf, born and raised in the southern regions of Greenwood the Great in Third Age 142. (Exactly 100 years older than Legolas and Tauriel.)

His father is a woodcutter and his mother a hunter--both esteemed professions in the realm.

His bookish twin sister Celuwen became a royal scribe at the remarkably young age of 90. Feren followed her into the employ of King Thranduil as a palace guard.

After just a few years, Feren was given a position in the royal escort.

Feren serves Thranduil's family for his entire career, becoming close friends with the princes, especially Gelir and Legolas. (see his banter with them in the fic, "Unnecessary Guardian")

Thranduil was constantly impressed by Feren's loyalty, courage, and trustworthiness. He appointed Feren as the youngest member of his Kingsguard in Third Age 672.

When Dol Guldur rose around Third Age 1000 and the southern parts of the realm grew increasingly infested by the Necromancer's dark creatures, Feren was dismayed by the devastation wrought upon his birthland.

He requested placement in the spiderhunters, a newly-formed company of specialized soldiers led by Prince Gelir. This was a demotion for him into a less prestigious and more dangerous job, but it put him where he wanted to be--at the frontline of Mirkwood's defenses.

But eventually, over a thousand years later, Feren found his way back into the direct service of the Elvenking. Thranduil chose him specifically for the leadership position of Captain of the Kingsguard. This is very different from the "captain" position Tauriel seems to have in the films. The Kingsguard rides alongside Thranduil in battle or any dangerous situation, and their sole task is to keep the King safe--a tremendous challenge and responsibility!

While Feren is in essence a high-ranking bodyguard and right hand of sorts to Thranduil, he is not an assistant. The "assistant" role is more accurately fulfilled by Celuwen, Feren's sister. By TA 555, she has become the royal family's secretary, a job she holds longer than any Elf in the realm (but that's another story for later).

Thranduil comes to depend on these twins greatly, especially after the loss of his sons and wife. They grow as dear to him as family, as they have always been utterly devoted to their King and ever refused to leave his service.

Even Queen Maereth has jokingly/lovingly referred to Feren and Celuwen as "the twin children we never had". (Twins run in her family.)

Thank you for the Ask, Anon! I hope more people will join me in the Feren Fan Club! I hope to put out more material for him soon! Such a sweetie!

For more Thranduil/Mirkwood headcanons: SotWK HC Masterlist

Elves HC Tag List: @a-world-of-whimsy-5 @achromaticerebus @acornsandoaktrees @aduialel @asianbutnotjapanese @auttumnsayshi @blueberryrock @conversacomsmaug @elan-ho-detto-elan-15 @entishramblings @freshalmondpandadonut @fizzyxcustard @friendofthefellowshipsnerdblog @glassgulls @heilith @heranintomyknife23times @ladyweaslette @laneynoir @lathalea @lemonivall @LiliDurin @quickslvxrr @ratsys @scyllas-revenge @spacecluster @stormchaser819 @talkdifferently6 @tamryniel @tamurilofrivendell

Other useful links:

Introduction to SotWK

Fanfiction Masterlist

Fanfiction Request Guidelines

[smalltownfae]

So, I started reading Soldier Son for the 4th time. I hope I can make it until the end now.

I can’t help compare Sil to Molly when one of her distinctive features is wearing bright skirts. Plus, she is clearly the love interest that is older than the mc and they met as kids and had a friendly interaction.

So far, this book focuses a lot on gender norms and I keep wondering if part of it is a defense of Molly since so many fans seem to unfairly hate her. Nevare’s father was just saying it was Sil’s fault that she was almost raped because she wore bright skirts and showed her bare arms and that is not too far of fans that put the blame on Molly for stuff not under her control.

[alfredosauce50]

Dancing with Wolves

[Yandere Viking! Denmark x reader]

Synopsis: Mathias is set on sailing to a better home before the baby is born, a place with eternal Spring where his child will not know the cold of Winter. After a month adrift at sea, he finds the land of his dreams and a discovers a new continent. The North Americas. There, he meets a village of natives who have already claimed it, and eventually, the sagamaw’s son, Allen. You develop a close friendship with him, but Mathias tells him to stay away for his own good. They’re two worlds apart and equally as different, and end up challenging each other on every aspect in life. So as enlightening as it has been for both sides, there’s a reason why they’re separated by an ocean, and Mathias stays true to his path to being the King of Danes.

Word count: 8, 791

Rating: M for slight NSFW

“Arrows that blot out the sun. Seas of soldiers. That is real. War is real. You need to move forward, in our direction.”

🎃 The story is on my Patreon in the bolognaise tier

🎃 Or $5 on Ko-Fi

Because this story is not a part of the main trilogy, I’m not publishing it here, but it’s available as a spin-off.

I wanted to say a big thank you to my patrons for their patience and ongoing support. It means the world to me, truly. To know there are people out there who really enjoy my work and keep showing that helps me tremendously. Especially Tullah, who stuck around even after such a long period of inactivity. Thank you so much for keeping this spark alive. I hope you know how important you are to my inspiration and motivation. You were the one who suggested this story a few years ago, after all. I will also be eternally grateful to any new members on my Patreon, or new supporters on my Ko-Fi. Your generosity will not go unnoticed.

❤️

[fandom-friday]

PART 2 OF 2 (ART ONLY)

Thank you so much to everyone that submitted recommendations this week! There was SO MUCH content, I have to split this week's summary into two parts! A comprehensive list of this week’s art submissions can be found under the cut! Recommendations are organized by show/media, and any main pairings will be listed after the title.

✨ = 18+ content 🪐 = contains spoilers of a currently running show

Art:

The Clone Wars: Thick Healthy Clone Series by @rexxdjarin Fox and Riyo Art by @spicyclones79s Smoke Break with Wolffe by @spicyclones79s Plo and His Sons by @goldnightshaade Commander Wolffe Art by @pinkiemme ✨ Tattooed Clone Art by @pinkiemme Captain Rex Art by @pinkiemme The Soldier by @ginalongillustrations How Good a Man by @frostycatblr-fandom-files Sparks, Daughter of Hardcase by @cloned-eyes OC Commander Ghoul Art by @cloned-eyes 347th Regiment Comic by @paperback-rascal

The Bad Batch: Tech and Phee Art by @nightskyfoxyy ✨ Tech and Phee Art by @butts-art ✨ Commander Mayday Art by @pinkiemme 🪐 (TBB S3) Hunter and Omega Art by @spicyclones79s Snuggling the Baby Batch by @ladykagewaki 🪐 (TBB S3) Ms. Fangirl in TBB S3E8: A Call to Echo by @ladykagewaki Wrecker is a Rat Person by @cloned-eyes Wrecker and Omega Art by @theartgremlin Omega Art by @lamiliani 🪐 (TBB S3) Omega Art by @angela-art13 🪐 (TBB S3) Asajj Ventress Art by @vimse

Rebels: People Died, Lives Were Changed by @bloodbroox Kanan and Hera Art by @strige-art The War Criminal by @ginalongillustrations

The Book of Boba Fett: Boba Fett Art by @baufraus

Star Wars Prequel Trilogy: Jango and Boba Fett Art by @manofbeskar The Queen by @ginalongillustrations

Critical Role: You Need Me More Than I Need You by @alartriss

[lieutenant-teach]

Questions to Star Wars Sequels

Rewatched the Sequel Trilogy with actual knowledge about Star Wars.

1. Why copy the planet or Rey’s origin? Why not jungles or literally anything else? I said more in another post [link].

2. Why make stormtroopers brainwashed and taken from childhood? Now it’s unfair to kill them if they didn’t have any other choice. There were words like ‘reprogramming’ – reminds of clones. I’ve always thought that stormtroopers are soldiers who believe in the cause of the Empire\First Order.

3. Give more competence for Finn! Poe pilot, Finn fighter/shooter, Rey inventive brain and hand-to-stick fighter / later Jedi. Overall give decent character arcs for main heroes – Finn loses his arc from TFA in the next movies, Poe doesn’t seem to have one, Rey’s motives to become a Jedi are unclear. Main trio doesn’t feel connected – Poe doesn’t meet Rey until the end of the second movie, unlike in the OT (what they did to the OT characters, was covered million times by others, won’t repeat). Kylo could’ve been somewhat good as a villain, but he’ll always be compared to Darth Vader and lose – he’s not so impressive at all (his fits of anger made him look pitiful in my eyes). Their romance is toxic and doesn’t have any chemistry. I ship Finnrey, I see they really care about each other.

4. Characters speak with typical action blockbuster clichés – app.15% of actually meaningful to the plot phrases throughout the whole trilogy. Makes me miss the dialogues of the Prequels. The plots in general are so dragged out – the Lego game (!) is much more dynamic.

5. Why don’t you kriffing EXPLAIN all this shit about strand-casts in the movie??? Why must I read supplementary material to understand this? When I was watching, I couldn’t understand why Snoke is so deformed for a clone, and Palpatine’s cloned ‘son’ doesn’t look like young Palps in the slightest. AND THEN I READ WOOKIEPEDIA. I want to watch a movie and understand what’s going on in it! Not go looking for info somewhere else! (Won’t comment on an utter idiocy of making Rey a Palpatine.)

6. Usage of the Force through a hologram?

7. Sudden psychometry, just like with Ahsoka – useful to the plot. Sudden healing – why did Anakin worry so much? Apparently, if you really want it, you can do it.

8. Why do we need D-O droid? He brings nothing to the plot and quite irritating!

9. Why are there lots of Sith acolytes/apprentices/disciples? Wasn’t there the Rule of Two?

I give it – ‘I’m all the Jedi’ was cool, I liked it. It’s just the build-up to this moment was unearned.

John Williams’ score was the best part of the whole trilogy.

[marvelstars]

Tolkien LOTR vs George Lucas STAR WARS

Disclaimer: talking with mutuals about Tolkien and Lucas this came up and wanted to share.

I believe both Tolkien and Lucas were anti imperialism(represented by the ring/empire respectively) and anti war but their takes is completely different because they lived different times.

Tolkien story of the lost kings who died for nothing seeking power represents pretty well the story of the first World War in which the imperial powers of Europe became excited over their new hability to put ot test weapons and made a local conflict into an all out war between countries exploiting the nationalism of the people to push them towards war, the tirednes and dissapointment over fighting a war for men who only wanted power is excelently interpreted in the Lord of the Rings in which the only solution is to destroy the ring and try to live peacefully with each other and support honest work and protect lives the best way you can, with wise kings and wise elves who care about people and it´s well being. That´s what I see Tolkien going for, he also tackles the idea that no matter how noble or peaceful like Fredo or Bilbo we could be, power still can corrupts us if we expend enough time around it. Power can corrupt everybody and the best we can do is try to not make it the most important thing in our lifes like Aragorn did when he became King.

Lucas wasn´t a soldier like Tolkien so he is much more idealist than him, he grew up and became excited over the protests for the war of Vietnam in the US and the consequences of WWII with the creation of the atomic bomb. So Star Wars battle in the OT isn´t just about greedy people trying to get power by any mean neccesary, the first trilogy is about a fair war fought agaisnt the imperial power who offered peace in exchange of freedom, which is another face imperialism can take and the death star(atomic bomb) is the one weapon they believe can “end all resistance” "end all wars" but they are wrong because just like in a New Hope, the Death Star only makes other people more nervous about it´s use and most will seek how to oppose it with similar means or with different kinds of resistence.

Star Wars presents the problematic dilema of war not being good on itself but becoming neccesary when your opponent will not engage in dialogue by any other means, so just like in LOTR the kingdoms have to join to form a military, the rebel alliance is there to fight the Empire.

The Jedi Order in the OT represents the old order, estatus quo that the Empire defeated to put their own Order, they are not evil by any means but by presenting a “ends justifices the means” philosophy by lying to Luke and forgetting about Anakin´s humanity and existence in exchange of dehumanizing him and seeing him only as a machine like Obi-Wan did, this doesn´t bring them the victory, mostly their plan gets revealed and rejected by Luke, the main hero of the OT, the fandom may have a very different take on the Jedi but Lucas definitely didn´t write the Jedi as flawless beings but as a tragic order that after the zenit of their power fell along with Anakin, literally and espiritually too. Otherwise Lucas would not talk about Anakin being a victim of the system who lost his mind trying to do the right thing, he wasn´t just part of the Republic but also part of the Jedi Order.

Luke, while dealing with his own feelings of anger, need for revenge for his murdered family and wish for freedom along with his friends, also learns humility by losing his first fight with Vader but also empathy, he has feel the darkness inside himself, he was told his father wasn´t always like that and he has felt Vader´s twisted love for him so he humanizes his enemy instead of dehumanizing him and seeks to save him from the darkside, because this has become the only way to defeat Vader and the Emperor while they are together and also because Luke wants Vader to be his father just as much as Vader wants Luke to be his Son.

So in the end family is the thing that saves the universe in Star Wars just like friendship, care, empathy and appreciation of the simple and beautiful things saved the people of LOTR. The Jedi imo in the PT and OT were not evil, they had their own wisdom and brought good things to the story like honor and duty but they were wrong to try to force Luke agaisn´t his father, they were wrong for keeping Anakin away from his family and they were wrong to forget love in exchange of duty.

This is also why I believe Luke doesn´t just brings back Anakin from the darkside, he did the same with the Jedi Order, he became the kind of Jedi Anakin always dreamed to be, with enough freedom to act with kindness, love and caring as well as honor and duty, a more balanced Jedi Order.

So it´s a complete shame disney missed the memo and makes more merchandise of the Jedi because they are more marketable forgetting the deep message of the story. Luke in the Mandalorian and ST isn´t ROTJ Luke, but a badly done PT Jedi style of Luke and that´s a complete tragedy imo because it misses the main message of the story, that you don´t have to reject love and family to support ideals and do your duty. They make you whole not less the person you are.

[aleksanderscult]

Analyzing "Demon in the Wood" (book) - Part 3

(Part 1, Part 2, Part 4 and Part 5 🫶)

⚠️TW: BULLYING⚠️

I managed to squeeze more than 20 images in this (yay!🎉) so prepare yourselves for a loong meta this time.

That's both amazing and creepy.

Imagine being so ancient that you have actually met those figures. While children in the future were being told fairytales at night, the Darkling lived inside those fairytales. He was part of them.

(It's like saying: "Oh my favorite fairytale is Cinderella!" and a guy next to you says: "Oh that girl? Yeah, met her. Not as pretty as they all say". And in the meantime, the story of Cinderella takes place at 1600s💀💀)

Baba Anezka appeared in "Little Knife".

Petyr of Brevno is a freaking Saint. The patron of archers.

Magda of the Black Woods appeared in "The Witch of Duva" and is a Saint as well. The patroness of bakers and abandoned women.

And Eryk has met them. (let that sink in)

Besides that, the obvious secretive life of Grisha is so painfully clear that antis seem to purposefully miss it. They need to seek each other by listening to rumors and looking in secret while most Grisha try to not be found at all.

Antis: "The Darkling forced Grisha to become soldiers and go to war!!"

And then accuse us for not reading the books.🙂

Before the Little Palace was built, the Grisha had no lives, with dignity and normality. They were living hidden in whatever they could find. Nothing was "permanent", like Eryk said in the Graphic Novel, always on the move and in fear. Trying to not draw attention to themselves out of fear of being exiled, killed, imprisoned, sold, tortured or experimented on.

Then the Darkling convinced the then-King of Ravka to allow him to build a home for them (after going to war for him). And when the Darkling went to find the Grisha, they were afraid of coming out of their hiding.

What if it was a trap from the King? What if they were killed?

Very few went with him and became soldiers because it was the only way for Ravka to accept them. Ravka was constantly involved in wars, so for Grisha to be soldiers was the only acceptable position they could have in this kingdom.

So no, Aleksander didn't make them soldiers because he didn't care for their fates. But because there was literally no other duty they would be allowed to carry. Become traders? No one would board their ship. Instead they would be captured. Become merchants? No one would buy from them. Instead they would be killed. Soldiers? Well yeah, because with their powers they would prove that they could be trusted with the safety of the kingdom. A safety the otkazat'sya needed. To fight the wars that the First Army couldn't win. Becoming servants of the Crown was their only option (and yes, the Darkling was also a servant of the Crown).

Okay I got this out of my chest 😭

Eryk seems really resigned that things will change. He's thirteen and hope for a change is bleak for him. He has seen first hand how low Grisha are in the "food chain". An ethnic group forsaken by everyone else.

His love for animals is so cute!!

I just imagine him standing down hidden and admiring wild animals from afar.

He just wanted to satisfy his needs. Stay at one place and go exploring and looking for tigers.

(The Darkling with any animal: "I just think it's NEAT!")

Also, his mother's "lessons" really annoy him. And it seems they do this wherever they go and with whoever they meet(?). Nevertheless, Aleksander was a brilliant child that grew to become a clever tactician and leader. Whenever his plans didn't work out in the Grisha trilogy, it was because he was letting his heart and feelings rule over his mind (aka: the whole Alina situation).

Baghra: "Aww you seem to really grow accustomed with power"

Baghra when her son gained power and position: "HELLO?? 911??"

Besides Baghra's hypocrisy, LOOK AT MY BABY'S SARCASM

"Your true name is written here. Tattooed on your heart. You don't let just anyone read it." - DitW.

"I want you to know my name. The name I was given, not the title I took for myself. Will you have it Alina?" - Ruin and Rising.

He didn't let just anyone read it. Only to the girl he fell in love with. Perhaps he did it to gain her trust back. Or out of his love of her. Or because he thought of her worthy to know it. She proved to be strong and also caring. She wouldn't betray his trust and let others know it.

"It's my own name I'm afraid of forgetting." - DitW.

"Aleksander. A boy's name, given up. Almost forgotten." - Ruin and Rising.

Or perhaps she gave his name to her so it wouldn't be forgotten.

All his life, his mother kept telling him "Don't say your name anywhere. Just don't. Don't let them touch you. Don't."

And yet he allowed both to Alina. It's not about him forgetting what his mother had taught him. But giving in to his feelings out of a desire to love and to be loved.

He loves evergreens 🥺

And let's not forget that he loved the forests so much that he decorated his room with it:

"The chamber was hexagonal, its dark wood walls carved into the illusion of a forest crowded with slender trees." - Siege and Storm.

Leigh explained in a Tumblr ask why she had the Darkling's room decorated with trees. I'll repost it one day for you.

Oh! And here's a fanart of the Darkling's bedroom from the books:

(art by @feyspeaker)

Beautiful and way better than what we got in the show. 😍

"It felt like summer was still alive", is this confirmation that his favorite season is summer??

GUYS HE TRIES SO HARD 😭😭

The way he was socially awkward as a kid and no one talks about it. When you have your mom telling you to stay away from people and peers then you don't socialise that much and (after a while) you don't how to properly do it.

Is he supposed to be friendly?

Is he supposed to be aloof?

His mother's constant warnings have made him confused about how to talk with other children.

"He'd stopped trying to make friends"

So he was making efforts to make friends and play but Baghra fucked this up and then he simply stopped trying. Reminds me how Leigh said that after losing his lovers, he stopped trying to be in relationships.

*that's your cue to cry*

Eryk: "Great. Another day for other children to run screaming from me. Just another lovely morning."

SYLVI IS SOOO CUTE (another baby to adopt 🥹)

And Eryk's certainty that she will be afraid of him.

STOP!! STOP RIGHT NOW!!

He smiled with her innocent curiosity. She didn't run. She liked it. And he was so relieved.😭

That sneaky, little baby 🥹

OH NO STOP--

"He should be used to it by now"

He couldn't get used to people's aggressiveness towards him. It hurt him, bro 😭

I feel sorry for Annika, man

She's not my favorite character in this book but I find her one of the most intriguing ones.

She has seen things. Lev hasn't. It's probable that he spent all his life inside that camp. But he definitely hasn't seen the way drüskelle hunt Grisha. Annika has and the way she's so overprotective with her sister shows how she can't afford to lose someone else too 😔

The evil villain was ready to defend a little otkazat'sya girl that he barely knew from a bully that insulted her.

Yup. We must hate him.

That just confirms my previous thoughts about how some Grisha only let the strong ones inside their camps. They can't afford to take anyone in. They only need more strength and protection not just random people.

Of course it's a possibility that the Ulle allows them to live there because he feels sorry for them. Throwing out a family is no easy thing.

The way he seems to care for the underdogs. Perhaps because, even though he had great powers, he too felt like one.

How he wanted to sound like: "LEAVE US ALONE!!"

How he probably sounded like: "leave us alone, okay?"

The Darkling is confirmed that he was a victim of bullying as a child.

It's such a far cry from the man that is portrayed in the trilogy. As a child we see him defending two girls (one of them otkazat'sya), he was bullied, he seemed giddy in the prospect of having a stable home and friends and showed regret and sadness when an otkazat'sya village was destroyed. As an adult he's a terrifying leading figure that inspires loyalty and respect and rarely shows his emotions.

It seems that somewhere down the line he hardened his heart, matured and learned and repressed any emotion that could sabotage his plans and heart.

Fuck immortality.

And he's so worried that he fucked up his hopes to stay at camp. He always worries that he'll ruin things. That he's a failure and a disaster for his mother and her plans.

Also, the way he's so afraid that they will fear him and run away from him. He does it "warily" so he still hasn't gotten used that. 😔

SYLVI IS MY ADOPTED DAUGHTER

Look at her being all cute!! Instead of being frightened of him, she wants to be like him 😭

His surprise 😭

It's so clear that he isn't used to this kind of treatment.

Just imagine how many times he's heard Baghra's scoldings to the point that he already knows what he is about to hear from her.

He had one hope and now he thinks it vanished. And he blames himself. For the danger that he'll bring to himself and his mother. He's so hard with himself...🥺

“It was hard not to pull away”

MY HEART IS ACHING

HE JUST CRAVES LOVE

“The unfamiliar pressure of her palm against his”

The feeling of someone holding his hand is strange to him. He doesn't know the feeling and hasn't been accustomed to it.

He wants to trust her and keeps finding good things in her as if he's trying to find reasons to do it.

"He had so many secrets. It felt good to share one"

So, contrary to popular belief, I don't think the Darkling was thriving and cheering inside of him for having so many secrets in TGT. Secrets are burdens you have to carry. He gave a personal one to Alina (his name) and he revealed some of his plans to her in S&B and S&S. He was a secretive person because he had to (and because he wanted to be one step ahead) but not because he enjoyed it.

That could have been the beginning of a beautiful friendship (or even a future cute romance, who can say?) but, alas, Grisha were living shit lives and were too desperate and scared.

(More in part 4)

[excelynch]

are you the king, mirror, ghost, magician or dreamer?

(write the letter of the answer you chose on a paper, at the end you will have the result of each letter)

1 - are you a poet, king or soldier?

a) poet

b) soldier

c) king

2 - choose a part of the song meet me in the woods by lord huron.

a) "I took a little journey to the unknown and I've come back changed I can feel it in my bones"

b) "I have seen what the darkness does. say goodbye to who I was"

c) "meet me in the woods tonight"

d) "I fucked with forces that our eyes can't see, now the darkness got a hold on me"

e) "show me yours and I'll show you mine"

3 - choose one of my opinions about trc that MAYBE you don't agree.

a) the dreamer trilogy has a slightly more interesting story.

b) the raven king ending sucks. like what is that DEMON?

c) adam and ronan were a little quick (but they're perfect anyway, maybe because it was so sudden, i wasn't expecting ronan lynch's secret)

d) declan was right most of the time, he just wanted to take care of what was left of the family.

e) noah deserved at least a decent goodbye.

4 - pick a random thing that was mentioned in the books

a) the pig

b) squash 1, squash 2, squash 3...

c) adam parrish's worn clothes.

d) lampshade dress (or ronan's lack of interest.

e) blue's pink pocket knife.

5 - you woke up at 03:49 am and you feel happy but you don't remember what you dreamed about. later, as the day goes by, you reflect. what did you dream about?

a) I don't remember exactly, just one person in front of me, they says my name and then they hugs me and I feel loved and then aliens take us to a distant planet and I turn out to be that person is a little girl who stole a lego of mine when i was a kid and we started battling for the hand of the cockroach queen.

b) I woke up happy that I finally got some sleep, but dreaming? it's something I'm still trying to remember how to do.

c) I can't remember what I dreamed about.

d) me in front of a mirror and in that mirror I saw myself as a kid. they told me in a calm voice "you can grow up now"

e) a house with all the ghosts that haunt me, they say they can move on now. I'm alone in the house, there's nothing left, but that emptiness doesn't bother me. I like the silence after so much noise.

6 - choose a quote from the books

a) "he threw me out the window"

b) "excelsior"

c) "maybe i dreamt you"

d) "safe as life"

e) "i am being perfectly fucking civil"

7 - ok, without judging the inside of the books, just choose by the cover.

a) the dream thieves

b) the raven king

c) the raven boys

d) blue lily, lily blue

e) call down the hawk / mister impossible /greywaren

8 - which of Ronan's dreams do you most identify with?

a) adam's perfect teeth (i know, i know)

b) matthew, the golden boy who just wants to be a normal boy

c) the other ronan who was born to die

d) forests and more forests

e) a hoverboard that will save everyone in the end

9 - if gansey is the king, blue is the mirror, ronan is the dreamer, noah is the ghost and adam is the magician so henry is...?

a) the one that's left (maybe you didn't care enough to give him a meaning)

b) madonna's number one fan

c) the bee

d) the son

e) the master

10 - if someone came and told you that you were going to die in a year, how would you react?

a) "no shit, sherlock! now say something new"

b) I would accept my fate and live normally. "After all, we're all going to die, I'm just going to die sooner"

c) I would do what I was always afraid to do.

d) "I've been dead for seven years"

e) I would do anything to change my destiny.

...

if you chose king add a point for ronan. if you chose poet add a point for noah and gansey. and if you chose soldier add a point for adam and blue.

now just add which letter you got the most and tell me in the comments the result :)

a = ronan

b = noah

c = gansey

d = adam

e = blue

I hope that you enjoyed and sorry for any mistakes, I'm learning english :)

I was thinking of doing a "which brother lynch are you" and one about the marauders, what do you think?