I bet I would still flinch if someone thrust a dagger at my eye, purely from instinct

[schneefink]

I recently finished the "Nightrunners" series by Lynn Flewelling. It was fun! I liked the earlier books better (it took me a while to even finish the last one, but it was a nice series ending.) The books have great h/c, a lot of it that felt "just like in fic," and some that would be OTT even for many fanfics. I liked the relationship between the main characters a lot.
I was very relieved that Thero did not turn out to be evil! I liked him and Seregil and Alec together, and I liked Micum but I loved that the fourth one in the ~prophecy was his daughter Beka and not him. I really liked Beka, and Klia. I was also surprisingly fond of Korathan: his relationship with his sister must have been interesting and complicated, and I had fun imagining him and Seregil together.
I was amused that teleporting almost never showed up again after the beginning and after Nysander died, it's a powerful plot device.
The worldbuilding was mostly fine and nothing special; the dyrmagnos, immortal necromancers, were creepy and cool. I liked the Aurenfaie vow of trust.

For some reason I thought of the "Tales of the Otori" series again that I read many years ago, and I feel like rereading it just so I can write, or at least imagine, fix-it fic for "Harsh Cry of the Heron."
Other next stories on my to-read list: "A long way to a small, angry planet", "Stories of the Raksura", and several long fics.

I was unexpectedly offered to take an html+css class for free this weekend. I feel too tired to actively look forward to it, but it could be interesting, and it'll probably look good on my CV. I'm curious where it'll start, because I know a little bit of html but I have no clue how much "everyone" knows.

Snowflake challenge, day 13: In your own space, write about a moment in fandom that meant a lot to you.
Technically no fannish content, but definitely in fandom: May 26, 2013 (wow, over three and a half years ago), when everything I hadn't been coping with somehow got me to a keyboard and ask for a much-needed hug, and the responses to that gave me the strength to finally get the help I needed. I probably would have gone to a therapist eventually, but I don't know how much longer it would have taken, and having that encouragement and support helped a lot. Ever since then I've known that when I need something like that I can get it, and that's worth so much.

Comments

[naye]

*HUGS* I'm so glad fandom helped when you needed it.


(I'm still unable to bring myself to finish the Nighrunner series because I don't want it to end.)

[schneefink]

I can understand that, but I'm pretty I'd be too curious ;)

[hokuton_punch]

Ahh, it's been ages since I read Nightrunners but I did enjoy those books! One of my best friends was a big fan. They definitely get weird after the first two, but I have to admit, four and five were weird in a way my id enjoyed. XD

I remember reading the first Tales of the Otori book ages ago, but I don't think I read any of the others...

I've heard good things about A Long Way to a Small Angry Planet, I really have to try it.

[schneefink]

Oh yes, great idfic! Several times I found myself thinking that the author either reads/writes iddy h/c fanfic or would very much enjoy doing so ;)

I read the books many years ago, but I remember that I enjoyed the Tales of the Otori trilogy a lot. I liked the sequel (Harsh Cry of the Heron) but wished it had a happier ending, but the prequel must have been unremarkable because even though I read it I don't remember anything about it.

[dolorosa_12]

It's been a while since I read the Nightrunner books, but so many people on my feed here have been talking about them recently that I might be due for a reread!

The Otori books are amazing, but incredibly brutal. Have you read the prequel, Heaven's Net Is Wide, as well as the main trilogy and The Harsh Cry of the Heron? It gives the whole series a very cyclical feel, as well as the sense (already strong in the original trilogy and sequel) that the characters are stuck in this kind of loop, endlessly repeating the same mistakes and escalating the violence, wars, and honour-driven culture that they can't escape. It's pretty gloomy stuff, but very powerfully written.

The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet, on the other hand, is warm and human and hopeful. I read it at a time when I was feeling very despairing, and it gave me hope that a better, kinder and less selfish future was possible. I highly recommend it.

[schneefink]

It depends on what you're looking for: if you're looking for great books I don't think I'd actively recommend the Nightrunner books, but they're enjoyable entertainment.

I read all five books. The cyclical nature was something that I, hm, not actively disliked, and it did fit the general atmosphere, but in general I prefer happier endings. Especially because Harsh Cry of the Heron did a great job making me fall in love with so many characters and I didn't want bad things to happen to them. Tbh I remember very little of Heaven's Net Is Wide, only that at times I thought it was unrealistic (...I know) how much the story mirrored Takeo and Kaede's. Maybe when rereading I'll read Heaven's Net first and the trilogy after and see how that feels.

[dolorosa_12]

Yeah, I think in terms of Lynn Flewelling's books I'd recommend the Tamir Triad as her more accomplished work, but it's a lot grimmer than the Nightrunner series, and sometimes lighthearted, tropey, fanficcy (in the best possible way) fantasy is what you need.

The Otori series is not exactly cheerful, so I'm not sure that rereading it is likely to change your impression. I guess reread it if you've got something happier to read when you're finished.

[schneefink]

Yeah, maybe I'll better wait to reread the Otori series. Unfortunately nobody else has written the fix-it fic I want for me :( Clearly I should reread it before the next Yuletide nominations.