You can’t really “he would not fucking say that” about fanfic because yeah, that’s kind of the whole point, he would not fucking say that… so I’m writing about how he would?
Robin is used to getting distrustful looks thrown his way. It seems no matter how far he roams, his reputation as a thief is impossible to shake; or perhaps there is simply something about him, that he gives the air of someone untrustworthy. Thie evening though, he finds that the glances and murmurs that can fill a room aren't, for once, directed at himself.
There is someone far more worthy of stares and hushed murmurs at the bar.
So, naturally, Robin approaches without hesitation and sits down next to him. In an instant, he takes it all in- the mask, the ice claws where hands had once been- and gives him a nod with a warm smile. “Buy you a drink, friend?”
i have so many posts like ‘i want my dead body dropped into a crowd at disneyland’ ‘i want to maul the bachelor to death then kill myself in traffic’ ‘i want to eat the mona lisa and then kill myself with cyanide’ etc and im imagining a scenario where im framed for murder and the prosecution has nothing on me but pull up my internet history and find my blog amd are just reading this shit out in court
Link to Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/4503406473
Link to Alexandra Rowland’s Excellent Article: https://www.tor.com/2021/10/20/you-should-really-be-reading-victoria-goddards-nine-worlds-series/
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Genre: Fantasy, mystery, cults, literary criticism, found family and friendships, magic, radical university education, adventure, small towns.
Read Victoria Goddard’s books. Really. She is a masterful and prolific writer, and her books — especially The Hands of the Emperor — can truly change your life. Or significantly alter it, at any rate. If you need more convincing, read Alexandra Rowland’s wonderful article; much like everyone else, I owe them many thanks for persuading me to read The Hands of the Emperor.
Set in her Nine Worlds universe, and taking place a bit earlier in time than The Hands of the Emperor, the first book in Goddard’s Greenwing and Dart series is a fun, fast-paced, cozy tale that will rip your heart out (in a good way!). Stargazy Pie is about looking beneath the surface and not taking things at face value. Characters are multiple things at the same time, there are complex motivations and conflicting loyalties, and even one’s disgrace is not as clear-cut as our Jemis Greenwing might have initially thought. I loved it, I cried multiple times, and I fell in love with Goddard’s writing once again.
As I have discovered with Victoria Goddard, it always takes me about a quarter of the way through to truly get invested in any of her stories; and when I do, her characters and worlds and prose have hooked me in to the point of no return. My experience with Stargazy Pie was just that; though I was initially charmed by the plot — a gentleman with a complicated family legacy returns home from university after some sort of disgrace, and must contend with snobbish townsfolk in a town that is most definitely quiet and dull — and the lush and intricate world of Alinor and Ragnor Bella, what I really fell in love with were the characters, themes, relationships, and messages.
Specifically, the emotional core of learning that you still have friends and allies, of recovering from sickness and tough times, of starting to untangle your complicated family history, of starting to heal… There’s a great mentor figure in Mrs. Etaris, mysteries, magic, hijinks, mermaids, radical universities, cults, and more. I also loved the commentary on academic freedom, truth and libel, class and propriety, and how Goddard managed to subvert tropes and expectations in delightful ways.
Finally, the beauty of the Nine Worlds series in particular is how the reader gets more invested in the characters and the world with every book. My reading order was The Hands of the Emperor, the sequel novella Petty Treasons, Stargazy Pie, The Return of Fitzroy Angursell, and the two Sisters of Avramapul novellas as well as the other short stories.
In my opinion, this is the superior reading order — because it is inherently more satisfying and joy-inducing to be introduced to a world and certain characters, and to see all of the connections and character growth and crossovers. Reading Stargazy Pie and then The Return of Fitzroy Angursell is a fist-pumping, squealing-out-loud experience that leaves you satisfied yet ravenous for more — as well as knowing that everything will turn out alright — especially with The Hands of the Emperor as the foundational text.
