Adventures in Imaginary Worlds

I'm a Catholic writer and reader. I like books, TV shows, and movies and I talk about them here, and I'll reblog anything that catches my fancy.

[coldswarkids]

you are a woman in a fantasy book written by a man. choose your personality trait

PETITE but super strong (defeats men easily 3x your size)

crosses arms across breasts / yanks braid in irritation

has giant sexy bazongers (that are sooooo inconvenient for archery)

"ugh, MEN" (acts in completely irrational manner)

only female character among cast of 3,000 men

see male protagonist > i must bone him immediately

written to "defeat sexist tropes" but is just written as a man instead

not like the OTHER girls (tucks hair behind ears)

damsel in distress (faints dramatically) ooohhhhh

Remaining time: 6 days 17 hours

[imissthembutitwasntadisaster]

I see your pomodoro method and I raise you procrastinating until you have a healthy level of fear and anxiety and then locking in for 5-7 hours straight

[templevirgin]

Jesus, Gustave Dore, c. 1877

[itspileofgoodthings]

you know what gets me about lord of the rings? evil is defeated by people who choose to fight against it without possessing absolute, or even very much, conviction that they can actually win. all the converging story threads that lead to the happy ending are carried out by people who are far, far more convinced that they will fail than that they will succeed, who had only the frailest, most foolish hope, who had blind faith and frequently wavering hearts not peace or ease or certainty.

middle earth isn’t saved because no one faltered or came close to despairing or who sank to their knees in weary defeat. it’s not saved by pride or conviction or even strength. it’s saved because enough people do what they have to do even if they have to do it in the darkness. in the dust. with the ashes of hopelessness and bitterness in their mouths. because enough people took another step. Frodo, Sam, Gandalf, Aragorn, Theoden, Boromir, Faramir, Merry, Pippin. And many don’t. For every hero there is someone who gives into the “reasonableness” of despair—Saruman, Denethor, Grima, even Gollum—but enough. Enough people said “it doesn’t matter if we lose, I will keep fighting” and then they do.

And that GETS me. It is the most hopeful thing about the lord of the rings to me. There is so much that sums up its spirit, so many beautiful quotes and moments, but to me it’s never been the most famous of the quotes about hope and love that hit me hardest but a line from the films. Before the battle for Minas Tirith, one of the soldiers says “we cannot defeat the armies of Mordor” and Theoden answers “no. but we will meet them in battle nonetheless.”

And I—That is the spirit that leads to the conquering of evil when it comes down to it, when we’re talking about the part played by humanity alone in the fight against evil. Not the conviction you’re going to win, not farsightedness into a perfect future, not perfect inner peace or certainty. But acceptance of the real possibility of defeat, of that defeat being more the reality, the future, of your life than the victory, and then doing the damn thing anyway because goodness is worth fighting for even if you lose.

[melusinemuse]

@freenarnian your tags are everything

[wifegideonnav]

gonna be honest i don’t know how many more ‘enter the 6 digit code we sent to your phone’s i got left in me

[fictionadventurer]

Cyberpunk Beauty & the Beast?

Once upon a time, far in the future, the son of the CEO of a Major Technology Corporation comes of age and takes over the family company. He learns that the company has been doing some Very Bad Things and wants to put a stop to it. Another top executive tries to convince him that these Highly Unethical and Dangerous Technologies (such as the city’s incredibly intrusive surveillance system) are vital to the company’s continued existence. When he refuses to listen, she takes advantage of the technology that plugs his mind in to all the company’s computer systems, leaving his mind trapped in cyberspace while his body’s stuck in a comatose state. She can’t kill him--there are certain things that only the CEO has access to--but she can keep him trapped in this mental torment, and revive him every once in a while to see if he’s finally willing to hand full control of the company over to her.

Some time later, Rival Corporation falls on hard times, leaving technology genius Beauty out of work. Her father hears of a job possibility for her, and goes to a house in one of the city’s elite neighborhoods to see if he can arrange an interview--to no avail. The employer never shows, and the house is strangely empty. But her father does see roses growing in a highly secured greenhouse. Real plants are a near-impossibility in their ultra-technological world, but Beauty loves the flowers, and her father can’t resist bringing her a little something to cheer her up after his failure.

He make it all the way to the bush itself before the alarms go off and the house’s security system traps him inside. The House’s AI doesn’t alert the authorities, like these systems are supposed to do. Instead, it puts him through an interrogation--how did he get inside when the greenhouse was guarded by top-of-the-line surveillance technology? He explains that his daughter the computer genius taught him a few tricks, and begs for mercy since he only intended to take one flower. The AI demands the father bring the girl here to the house; if he doesn’t, the AI will alert the authorities about the theft and their lives will basically be over.

Beauty answers the summons, expecting the worse--and gets a job offer from the AI. It turns out the AI is running a vast corporate espionage network; it has made its agents invisible to the surveillance systems and digital networks in the city. But to take down the Major Technology Corporation, their network needs a physical someone who isn’t invisible, someone who can be seen who can speak to the right people, open the right doors, operate the right technology with the skill of an expert--and Beauty’s the only one qualified for the job. When Beauty learns exactly how Major Technology Corporation is using its vast surveillance network to do Very Evil Things to the people of the city, she signs right up.

With the help of the AI’s invisible servants, Beauty undertakes missions to undermine the Major Technology Corporation. The AI isn’t like any artificial intelligence that Beauty’s ever seen. For one thing, its access to city-wide systems is unparalleled in her experience. For another thing, it has opinions and a moral compass that aren’t like anything she’s seen in technology (what AI has a love of roses?). It seems almost...human, and she’s astonished to find herself developing a friendship with it.

Eventually, they manage to gain access to the highest levels of the company’s technology, where Beauty destroys the Evil Mainframes, liberating the city and taking down the Major Corporation. She also finds a man plugged into the system itself, and rushes to disconnect him before the crashing system erases his mind with it. She learns the man is the lost CEO of the company--and her mysterious AI employer. The Evil Executive had no idea that leaving the CEO helplessly connected to the company’s computer systems gave him complete access to all their surveillance and security technology, and he took advantage of that to bring down the company. 

With the evil technology destroyed, they save the city, reform the company, and eventually, get married. Happily ever afters all around (or as much as one can get in a cyberpunk world).

[fictionadventurer]

I guess I'm watching the Cocteau Beauty and the Beast tonight.

Somehow, in all these years of knowjng about this film as one of the classics of fairy tale films, I somehow missed the fact that it was in French?? Did I know this at one time and just forgot?? Utterly baffled at how I missed this.

Writing the opening credits on the chalkboard, that's pretty cool. (Maybe this is something a lot of old movies do, idk).

Seven minutes in and I'm bored. Who cares about Beauty's sisters?

Ah, the original Gaston!

Beauty genuinely thinks her sisters are more beautiful. It's a common-enough trope in retellings, but she manages to sell it. She's not lamenting over it or pitying herself, she's just matter-of-fact about it.

It turns out that what every Beauty and the Beast adaptation needs is for Beauty to have a brother who defends her from scoundrels. Even in just this one moment, it's a nice dynamic that I wish I'd see used more often.

Beauty plans to stay single for her father's sake? Interesting way to show their bond. (Though idk if she wants to or just thinks her father expects it)

Gosh, her sisters are annoying.

Oh, her brothers are idiots, too!

The forest is nice and moody. I kind of wonder if the animated film borrowed some shots here.

In motion, I like how the "invisible servants" thing just makes it look like the castle is haunted.

Arm candelabras! Creepy!

I'm loving the creepy atmosphere of the castle in general. This movie is working best when people stop talking and they let the visuals immerse you in the fairy tale atmosphere.

Aw, the Beast is all fuzzy!

I like how the theft of the rose is portrayed as one of your typical fairy conditions. You could have taken anything else, but stealing a rose leads to death, because that's the rule, no further explanation needed.

Nice that her father intended to go back.

Loving the dreamy imagery of Beauty exploring the castle.

So you were totally fine with the furniture talking to you and the statues and blankets moving on their own, but the appearance of a big fuzzy guy is what you faint over? Okay.

I know the Beast usually wears human clothes, but it's striking me as funny right now. Just imagining him putting on his little boots and his big old lace ruff is amusing.

What's with the Beast flailing around like he's drunk?

Okay, she's got an Evil Queen dress now.

"Will you let me watch you dine?" Was there no other less-creepy way you could have phrased that?

Idk man, I just can't get over this Beast's voice. And he's acting way too creepy for me to buy the whole "he's good-hearted, just ugly" thing.

Like, dude, I don't think your ugliness should be her main concern here. I'm much more concerned about the fact that you live in a creepy haunted castle with human hands and eyes sticking out of the walls and furniture.

I can see why this is so influential, though, because this imagery is amazing, and I want to steal half of it.

Why are his hands smoking? Did I miss something?

Right on for yelling at him for being in your room, girl.

Oh, he drinks like a puppy! Cute!

His little ears move!

And he's actively fighting a beastly nature?

Idk, man, I find it kind of repulsive that she lets you drink from her hands. There was zero reason you couldn't take two steps and drink from that fountain yourself. Or drink from your own hands.

Oh, we're going full crazy bloody wolf-man now. I love how Beauty refuses to put up with his shit. Like, "So you're cursed with a supernatural bloodlust. Get a hold of yourself, loser."

The comedy of the moneylenders taking away the brothers' chess table midgame was a welcome relief.

Oh, this version does a forbidden room thing, too? But Beast is also forbidden from it?

This is the first retelling I've seen where it really feels like the Beast is her unattractive arranged-marriage husband. Sending her home is like the wife wanting to return to her father's house. Her deciding to leave him would kill him.

He literally tells her that if she doesn't come back, he'll die and she'll get all his riches. And he gives her the key to his magic! He's handing her the means to kill him and become a wealthy widow, solving all her problems, but he trusts her to come back. I'm obsessed.

Her speech to her father about how she's noticed all these layers in the Beast and feels sorry for him is a good one. It would make me believe in this romance if any of it was shown rather than just told.

How long is she supposed to have been gone? Like, she's surprised that the laundry's been done.

Tears turning into magic diamonds that cure her father? Okay, sure, why not?

And now they're planning to murder the Beast for his riches. Beauty needs a better family.

He trusted you with the key, and you just left it sitting out on an open table?

Why does the Gaston guy seem to be living with her family?

As despicable as her family is, at least they're doing something. Being active in the story.

The magic mirror breaking as a sign of danger is a nice touch.

For all the fairy tale melodrama, there's just enough comedy and worldbuilding and plot expansion to keep it a bit grounded.

The guy breaking into the treasure house gets killed and turned into a beast at the same moment the Beast turned back into the prince, which implies that it wasn't love that saved him at all, it's just that some other hapless victim took his place.

This prince guy is just as melodramatic as the Beast.

"I don't mind being afraid, as long as it's with you." Cute. And a necessary line to make me believe in a happy ending after she seems so disappointed by losing the Beast.

When he said they could fly to his kingdom, I didn't think he was literally gonna fly in the air like Superman! I lost it. Dissolved in giggles as the movie fades out.

Overall, a compelling adaptation (in a classic foreign movie way) with great imagery, an unconvincing central relationship, and some good (and some confusing) plot choices. Glad to have finally watched it. It feels like a major hole in my fairy tale experience has been filled in.

[str-ngeloop]

your strengths are harder to see than your weaknesses because the problems you're good at solving don't appear as problems, because you're so good at handling them before they become problems... unlike the relatively rare problem that becomes a crisis, which demands undue attention. it's sort of like a reverse survivorship bias. the problems that become noticed as problems, the moments where you notice your capacity has a gap, are only the ones that aren't cut off at the pass by your strength and capability, before they become problems. so if all you focus on is problems then all you'll see is your weaknesses. which isn't accurate

[arte-artem-artibus]

Neil Welliver - Greer's Bog, 1973, screenprint in colors, 91 × 90 cm

[fictionadventurer]

Thanks for the prompts, everyone! This was a ton of fun, but I'm going to have to declare the library scavenger hunt complete! Thanks for playing along!

[fictionadventurer]

Today, I'm heading to the library, and I think it'd be fun to do a library scavenger hunt.

If you'd like to play along, leave a comment with a prompt of something for me to find--whether it's related to genre, topic, author, something on the cover, whatever. I'll try to find something that fits, and post my finds after my hunt is complete.

[fictionadventurer]

@healerqueen Technically, the Miss Marple book I showed earlier would count, but since I already filled two prompts with that, I decided to look for another option. However, since I'm challenging myself not to look up any books on my phone, it's harder to find the exact ages of anyone involved.

I found this book, that seems to have a youngish narrator, but centers around a woman who claims to be 134 years old.

Near it, I found this book, which has a main character who's "getting on in years", though I don't know if he'd qualify as elderly.

[fictionadventurer]

Today, I'm heading to the library, and I think it'd be fun to do a library scavenger hunt.

If you'd like to play along, leave a comment with a prompt of something for me to find--whether it's related to genre, topic, author, something on the cover, whatever. I'll try to find something that fits, and post my finds after my hunt is complete.

[fictionadventurer]

@find-the-path Here's a whole field guide!

@no-mere-mortals If I'd ignored "and", "of", and "the", this wouldn't have been too hard, but I challenged myself not to ignore words, and it was surprisingly difficult to find even a two-word title in alphabetical order. But Cactus Hotel came through for me!

@leseigneurdelorage Here you go! A documentary from the WWII section!

@afterlifeincorporated I never go to the biology section of the library, but while I was looking for the fish book, I discovered that the insect section was right next to it, and decided to take home this book as casual inspiration for one of my WIPs.

[fictionadventurer]

Today, I'm heading to the library, and I think it'd be fun to do a library scavenger hunt.

If you'd like to play along, leave a comment with a prompt of something for me to find--whether it's related to genre, topic, author, something on the cover, whatever. I'll try to find something that fits, and post my finds after my hunt is complete.

[fictionadventurer]

@novelmonger

I've got a few options!

I don't know if a geometric design counts as a picture, but I found it interesting that the book about the Drawings of Florentine Painters has no drawings on the cover.

This book has no pictures, just embroidery done right on the cloth of the cover (which I thought was very cool).

And this collection of like world poetry or something has nothing on the cover at all (so I can't even remember the title for sure).

[fictionadventurer]

Today, I'm heading to the library, and I think it'd be fun to do a library scavenger hunt.

If you'd like to play along, leave a comment with a prompt of something for me to find--whether it's related to genre, topic, author, something on the cover, whatever. I'll try to find something that fits, and post my finds after my hunt is complete.

[fictionadventurer]

@siena-sevenwits

This book about a canoe trip to the Hudson starts in Minnesota, but the vast majority of the trip takes place in Canada.

I've got a few different options for red and gold books. This is a red book with goldish fonts.

This book struck me as classic red and gold, but on closer inspection, I can't decide if the cover is more burgundy or purple.

And this book about Henry VIII has a spine that was definitely red and gold, but the pictures on the cover take away from that pure color scheme.

For the fairy tale book, I had to go down to the children's section, and this picture book of "The Lady and the Lion" struck me as utterly gorgeous. It's coming home with me.

[fictionadventurer]

Today, I'm heading to the library, and I think it'd be fun to do a library scavenger hunt.

If you'd like to play along, leave a comment with a prompt of something for me to find--whether it's related to genre, topic, author, something on the cover, whatever. I'll try to find something that fits, and post my finds after my hunt is complete.

[fictionadventurer]

@isfjmel-phleg Here are two very '90s vegetarian cookbooks!

[fictionadventurer]

Today, I'm heading to the library, and I think it'd be fun to do a library scavenger hunt.

If you'd like to play along, leave a comment with a prompt of something for me to find--whether it's related to genre, topic, author, something on the cover, whatever. I'll try to find something that fits, and post my finds after my hunt is complete.

[fictionadventurer]

@leseigneurdelorage The book I picked off the shelf and started reading happens to have a gold title (though the lighting effects mean that part of it looks white).

If that doesn't count, here's a book with all-yellow titles.

[hillbillyoracle]

give me the beat boys and free your plums I wanna steal some of the icebox ones this is just to say