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Top Five Wednesday

Top Five WednesdayUncategorized

Top 5 Wednesday – Favourite Friend Groups #Squadgoals

by Kathy @ Pages Below the Vaulted Sky
written by Kathy @ Pages Below the Vaulted Sky

“Top 5 Wednesday” is a weekly meme currently hosted on Goodreads by Sam of Thoughts on Tomes, where you list your top 5 for the week’s chosen topic. This week’s topic is: Favourite Friend Groups.

Me: *Muttering* I will not make this post all about Dragon Age and Final Fantasy and anime. I will not make this post all about Dragon Age and Final Fantasy and anime. I will not–

Me #2: Oh, please. You know you want to.

Me: …….I will not–

Me #2: C’mon. Just do one.

Me: ….

I’m weak and it’s late (why oh why do I keep writing these posts at 1 AM??), so I added one Dragon Age to the list. But the rest are examples from books and you’re spared from having to scroll through a 5000-word essay on how much I love Bioware and Final Fantasy games. For today, anyway!

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1. The Raven Cycle Kids

https://pagesbelowvaultedsky.files.wordpress.com/2018/09/36653-the-raven-cycle-series.jpg

I’m only halfway through the series right now but I’m already very much in love with the Blue + Raven Boys dynamic. These kids could not be more different from one another, but they still somehow manage to fit together perfectly. And I love how Gansey is the one who holds them all together.

 

2. Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants – Carmen, Bridget, Tibby, Lena

Image result for sisterhood of the travelling pants

I have no idea how the Travelling Pants series holds up as an adult but I adored it when I was 12-14 years old. These girls supported each other unconditionally in every way, regardless of the distance between them, and I found that to be so inspiring and moving. It offers such a positive depiction of female friendships that we always need more of in YA.

 

3. Kings of the Wyld – Saga

Kings of the Wyld

Saga used to be a mega-famous mercenary group back in the day and now, decades later, they’re a bunch of retired middle-aged men with families, beer guts, and confidence issues. And I love them to bits–especially their willingness to drop everything to help out one of their members.

As individuals they were each of them fallible, discordant as notes without harmony. But as a band they were something more, something perfect in its own intangible way.

 

4. The Gentleman Bastards

Lies of Locke

The dynamic of Locke, Jean, Calo, and Galdo (and later, Sabetha) is one of the main things that make The Gentleman Bastards series so addictive and compelling. They may drive each other crazy, but their love runs deep and wide and they’ll do just about anything–kill, rob (well, more so than usual), sacrifice–for one another.

“Bug,” Calo said, “Locke is our brother and our love for him knows no bounds. But the four most fatal words in the Therin language are ‘Locke would appreciate it.'”

“Rivalled only by ‘Locke taught me a new trick,'” added Galo.

“The only person who gets away with Locke Lamora games …”

“… is Locke …”

“… because we think the gods are saving him up for a really big death. Something with knives and hot irons …”

“… and fifty thousand cheering spectators.”

 

5. Dragon Age 2 – Hawke and Co.

Image result for dragon age 2 characters

 

I will defend this game until the day I die because, among other things, DA2 is the “found family” trope at its finest. In this ensemble we have a lady guard captain, a pirate captain, an elven blood mage, a storytelling dwarf, a former slave, a would-be revolutionary, plus Hawke the protagonist and their sweet sister/asshole brother. While calling them “friends” might be a bit of a stretch–half of them hate each other and the other half just want some peace and quiet in their lives–they’re most definitely family. A weird, dysfunctional family who go on murder sprees adventures together.

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And there you have it! Tell me about your favourite friend groups! (I’m gonna take a wild, wild guess that one of them’s Harry/Ron/Hermione)

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Top Five WednesdayUncategorized

Top 5 Wednesday – Book List for a Class On Developmental Psychology

by Kathy @ Pages Below the Vaulted Sky
written by Kathy @ Pages Below the Vaulted Sky

“Top 5 Wednesday” is a weekly meme currently hosted on Goodreads by Sam of Thoughts on Tomes, where you list your top 5 for the week’s chosen topic. This week’s topic is: Book list for a class on (Genre/Trope/etc). After a panicky, “Oh god, it’s 12 AM and I haven’t chosen a topic yet,” I ended up taking the “class” part literally and choosing developmental psychology.

So, you can find examples of developmental psychology in pretty much all books. But I tried to pick (fiction) books that focus on children and how the actions of adults affect their developmental process–for better or worse, but in the case of this list, for the worse. 

Does that make senses? I don’t know. It’s late, I’m tired, and I’m writing the post at the very last minute, so I may find this is all gibberish when I re-read it in the morning. Oh, the joys of not doing proper planning!

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1. The Fifth Season by N.K. Jemisin

Fifth Season

Jemisin’s brilliant award-winning fantasy series explores prejudice and subjugation and the ways that they mold children into ugly, jagged shapes. We see how the hatred and fear of orogenes have driven Essun, our main character, to cynicism and ruthless pragmatism, which she then later passes onto her own daughter. There are no good parents in the world–we get parents who are trying their best with a script that was written for them, and parents who are just plain terrible. Either way, it’s the children who bear the brunt of their hatreds and various other demons.

 

2. Warchild by Karin Lowachee

Warchild

Grief and memories of abuse are the main things that our main character Jos Musey carries with him as he grows up from a traumatized young orphan to a slightly-better-but-still-traumatized teenage soldier. The adults around him range from brutal and exploitative to cold and distant, so it’s no wonder he develops massive issues with trust and emotional vulnerability, both of which Lowachee depicts with incredible care and deftness. Warchild offers one of the best examinations PTSD I’ve ever read in sci-fi/fantasy.

 

3. Animorphs Series by Christina Applegate

animorphs

Don’t let the perky synopses (and the god-awful covers) fool you. Animorphs isn’t an epic scifi adventure about a group of shapeshifting kids who band together to fight aliens. Well…I mean, it is, but it’s also about war and its many psychological horrors–you get scenes of kids getting tortured and murdered in gruesome ways, kids being forced to kill, and kids suffering from PTSD among other things. It’s incredible how well these books tackle the long-term developmental effects such trials have on these characters. (And I still can’t believe it managed to get published as a children’s series.)

 

4. A List of Cages by Robin Roe

a list of cages.jpg

A List of Cages is a beautiful story that explores child abuse and the way that abusers manipulate their victims into believing they deserve this treatment. Roe’s portrayal of Julian and his struggles is at once heartbreaking and skin-crawling.

 

5. The Farseer Books by Robin Hobb

Assassin's Apprentice

Am I ever going to pass up an opportunity to talk about this series? Nope!

Hobb is not only a master of character development, she’s a master of long-term character development. With her Farseer books, we see how abandonment and rejection can permanently hinder a child’s emotional growth. With pretty much everything that FitzChivalry does as an adult, you can trace the origins right back to his tumultuous childhood. (Fun fact: I wrote an extra credit paper for a 4th year psychology class analyzing the development process of this very character. My grade didn’t need to be bumped up so it was completely unnecessary, but I had a blast writing it.)

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Note to self: Make the next T5W just a tad less gloomy.

 

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Top Five Wednesday

Top 5 Wednesday – Topics I’d Like to See Explored More in Fantasy

by Kathy @ Pages Below the Vaulted Sky
written by Kathy @ Pages Below the Vaulted Sky

“Top 5 Wednesday” is a weekly meme currently hosted on Goodreads by Sam of Thoughts on Tomes, where you list your top 5 for the week’s chosen topic. This week’s a freebie so I ended up making my own prompt: topics I’d like to see explored more in fantasy.

 

1. MENTAL HEALTH

Senua

From Ninja Theory’s game, Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice

I can’t believe we don’t see mental health explored in fantasy more often. The genre is prime ground for it, especially in high fantasy where things like disease, war, imposed prophecies, and tyrants are commonplace.

I’d like to see princesses cancelling afternoon tea parties at the last minute out of anxiety; captains giving smiles and encouragement to their soldiers during the day and then later breaking down in the privacy of their room; Chosen Ones sobbing and saying, “I can’t do this.”

I know some people say they read fantasy to escape such heavy topics, and that’s a totally fair point. But for me, there’s something about a fantasy setting that helps me face those issues without getting too triggered. And in the case of stories like Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice, where the protagonist’s dark thoughts are given physical form, there’s something unbelievably empowering about seeing someone face down their demons with a sword and a snarl.

 

2. PARENT-CHILD RELATIONSHIPS

inkheart

Mo and Meggie Folchart from Inkheart

I realize the “orphan protagonist” trope is a great way to add angst and loneliness to a character. But you can still get all that and more if the parent is alive, because a parent-child relationship is complex and, potentially, just as anxiety-inducing as being an orphan. You can explore all the ways that parents can be terrible and the ways they can be amazing and everything in between. And all in the complication of a fantasy setting.

“Uh but aren’t, like, 90% of your WIP protagonists orphans–?”

MOVING ON!

 

3. The Fallible Hero

This goes for pretty much all genres, but since fantasy is most often guilty of flaunting powerful, perfect protagonists, I’m adding it to the list.

Essentially, I want to see protagonists who fuck up. And I don’t mean characters who forget to pack their heirloom sword on the eve of a battle, or the ones who accidentally serve garlic bread to a vampire on a first date (there are so many conflicting vampire tropes out there–who knows which ones are actually true?) I want characters to make mistakes that have significant, lasting consequences for both character development and plot–characters who abuse their power, give into a villain’s temptation, or hurl cruel words to a loved one out of anger or jealousy.

Togashi Yoshihiro’s Hunter x Hunter does this brilliantly. It shows time and time again that being a powerful fantasy protagonist doesn’t make you immune to falling; it actually means you crash harder. And why wouldn’t you want to see that explored?

 

4. Intimate Friendships

Frodo and Sam

This is again something I would like to see in all genres, but with fantasy, there’s the added benefit of the phrase, “I will walk to hell and back for you,” being very literal. Romance in fantasy is nice, but nothing gets me going like depictions of friendships that stick a middle finger at our society’s rule book for platonic relationships (“Clasping hands at a perpendicular angle is a-okay for friends, but once you start interlacing those fingers, you’re moving into romantic territory, so watch out! And kissing is a definite no-no.”)

I could go into a rant about the arbitrary lines that society draws for various relationships and how they hinder emotional development and foster fear of intimacy. But I’ll abstain. Just please give us more Frodo and Sam, writers.

 

5. Protagonists With “Feminine” Occupations

I kind of mentioned this in my post about “Strong Female Protagonists.” Like, I love rogues–they’re my second favourite RPG class–but I’m a little tired of seeing female characters in high fantasy trotting about in assassin/thief gear. The same goes for the male characters. I want to read about men who are midwives or nurses and young girls in training to be ladies-in-waiting. Rowenna Miller’s Torn features a female protagonist who happens to be a seamstress, and it annoys me how that’s considered uncommon.

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What are some things you would like to see more of in fantasy? And throw me recommendations for books that feature any of these 5 topics!

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Top Five Wednesday

Top 5 Wednesday – Books I’ve Removed From My TBR | Mini Update

by Kathy @ Pages Below the Vaulted Sky
written by Kathy @ Pages Below the Vaulted Sky

I’m back from my unannounced mini-hiatus! I’ve been mentally-exhausted for the past week and a half due to health issues and a fiasco involving a missing passport, so I just stepped away and did everything but read and blog, including tennis-watching, nature-trailing, art-drawing…er, dark-short-story-writing. All of which helped quite a bit! So take breaks when you need to, folks.

The site is also going through a mid-life crisis right now, so I apologize for any erratic changes that may or may not hurt your eyes.

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“Top 5 Wednesday” is a weekly meme currently hosted on Goodreads by Sam of Thoughts on Tomes, where you list your top 5 for the week’s chosen topic. This week’s theme is: Books You’ve Removed From Your TBR

I don’t remove books–especially SFF books–from my TBR often; I hoard them like a greedy little dragon-in-training. But when I do, it’s usually for one (or more) of three reasons:

1) I read reviews that pointed out how some of the themes in the book were handled very, very problematically.

2) The author turned out to be a Milkshake Duck–someone whose work is attractive but has the moral compass of an evil honey badger. I’m currently writing a post on the idea of separating a writer’s work from the writer and I’ll discuss it in further detail then.

3) The book is a part of a series that I’ve fallen out of love with.

Let’s get cracking.

1. Lady of Avalon by Marion Zimmer Bradley
Lady of Avalon

Imagine being fifteen and discovering a female-centric retelling of the King Arthur legend–one that reimagines Morgan le Fay as a complex, sympathetic character. Imagine falling headlong in love.

Then imagine finding out five years later that your teenage idol had had sexually abused her daughter for nearly a decade. I’m not the only one who threw away their copy of The Mists of Avalon at the news, and my journey through the Avalon series came to a stop right before Lady of Avalon. I just can’t, in all good conscience, read a series of novels that champions feminine strength while knowing the author’s actions were a complete antithesis of those themes.

 

2. Inheritance (Inheritance Cycle 4) by Christopher Paolini
Inheritance

I was obsessed with Paolini’s Inheritance series back in middle school. I named MMO characters after his characters. I had debates over it with a classmate throughout the entirety of lunch. Then years later, Brisingr dropped and I thought it was…okay. Several more years later, I picked up Eragon again to prepare myself for Inheritance, and I found myself unable to finish it. I think it was a combination of me being exposed to er, better-written fantasy books and a shifting of tastes, but whatever the reason, I was suddenly seeing flaws everywhere in the story. So Inheritance currently resides alongside Breaking Dawn and the Mortal Instruments books in the graveyard of series I never got to finish. Sorry, Chris.

 

3. The Hazel Wood by Melissa Albert
Hazel Wood

The Hazel Wood was a case of me expecting something completely from what the book actually turned out to be. The blurb sold it as a portal fantasy of sorts, but then I found out that most of the story was set in the contemporary world. Which is fine–just not what I had in mind. I’ve also heard complaints about the terrible treatment of a PoC character, so this one’s a pass for me.

 

4. Ship It by Britta Lundin
Ship It

This is a case of Number 1, where I’d been eagerly waiting to get my hands on a story that explores fandoms and all they entail–fanfics, comic cons, shipping–and queerness to boot. But apparently Ship It explores all the wrong, toxic avenues of fandom culture, including shipping of real-life people and ambushing creators to try to get what you want. I don’t need to see that in fiction; I have Tumblr for that.

 

5. Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher

Thirteen Reasons Why
When I’d first heard of Thirteen Reasons Why, it was getting showered with critical acclaims, and I got rather curious. But my personal experiences since then combined with all that I’ve heard of the book and TV show from people have considerably soured my interest.

The idea of a story about someone who lists out all the reasons that led to them committing suicide feels exploitative. Cold. Gilded in angst and profundity to attract awards while doing nothing to address suicide and depression in a respectful or meaningful way. I’m pretty sure I’ll find the book triggering and angering, neither of which I’m keen on experiencing anytime soon.

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And on that cheery note, let’s here from you!

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Top Five Wednesday

Top 5 Wednesday – Books You Want to Read Before the End of the Year

by Kathy @ Pages Below the Vaulted Sky
written by Kathy @ Pages Below the Vaulted Sky

“Top 5 Wednesday” is a weekly meme currently hosted on Goodreads by Sam of Thoughts on Tomes, where you list your top 5 for the week’s chosen topic. This week’s theme is: Books you want to read before the end of the year, which I’m interpreting as, “already-released books I want to read before the end of the year.”

 

1. Oathbringer (The Stormlight Archive 3) by Brandon Sanderson

Oathbringer

I’ve been debating whether or not I should reread the first two Stormlight books before starting this one, and this debate has been raging in my brain for roughly…oh, eight months? So I figure I should just swat myself over the head at some point and make a decision. Plus my friend’s been wailing at me every other week, “I just I found this Oathbringer thing I need to show you but I can’t because you haven’t read it yet,” and I should probably put him out of his misery.

2. Vicious by V.E. Schwab

Vicious

I wasn’t a fan of Schwab’s Shades of Magic books, so I’ve been somewhat avoiding this one. But then the other day I read Meghan‘s awesome review where she breaks down the anti-hero qualities of the characters and now I’m thoroughly intrigued. Despicable characters that make you love them despite and because of their despicable ways? Hell yes.

3. The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas

The Hate U Give

I’ve been living under a rock for the last year and a half apparently, because I still have yet to pick this one up. I’ll read it before the movie drops. Maybe.

4. The Last of the Wine by Mary Renault

The Last of the Wine

Renault’s Alexander the Great trilogy serves as one of the best examples of what historical fiction can and should be–well-researched and informative, but still brimming with imagination. I’m fairly sure she was a time traveler of some sort, because no modern person be able to describe an ancient culture with that much confidence and intimate detail.

The Last of the Wine is another very Greek, very queer Renault classic and I’m very excited.

5. The Book of Dust by Philip Pullman

The Book of Dust

When I was in middle school, The Dark Materials series rocked the foundation of my world. I wrote Pullman a long gushing (possibly incoherent) letter on how much I loved the books and received a written version of “Mr. Pullman can’t come to the phone right now as he’s busy with movie deals and being a superstar author. But he sure does appreciate all your calls!” And I didn’t even care because, holy shit, the letter had his signature on it.

So why oh why have I not read The Book of Dust yet? It’s hard feeling to describe but the phrase “paralyzed with anticipation” comes to mind. This book was a long time coming and I both dread and crave what lies inside (if that makes any kind of sense). Basically, it’s another case of me needing to kick myself into making a decision.

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And that’s it for me! Have you read any of these? And what books are you looking to get to before the end of the year?

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Top Five Wednesday

Top 5 Wednesday – LGBTQ+ Books (Sans Cis M/M Relationships)

by Kathy @ Pages Below the Vaulted Sky
written by Kathy @ Pages Below the Vaulted Sky

“Top 5 Wednesday” is a weekly meme currently hosted on Goodreads by Sam of Thoughts on Tomes, where you list your top 5 for the week’s chosen topic. This week’s theme is: LGBTQ+ Books That Don’t Feature Cis M/M Relationships.

If this week’s prompt seems rather specific, here’s Sam’s reasoning:

This may seem oddly specific, but in honor of Pride being this month, I wanted to have a topic to celebrate LGBTQ+ books. But, the book community tends to, when given the chance, lift up cis m/m pairings the most. And while those books are still important and valued (we’ve even had topics covering m/m relationships earlier this year, which featured many cis m/m pairings), I wanted to shine the spotlight on some of those lesser known, recognized, and celebrated books.

I love that this gives us a chance to shine a spotlight on some of the other areas of the queer rainbow. Thanks, Sam!

1. Pantomime (Micah Grey 1) by Laura Lam

Pantomime

The first in Lam’s Micah Grey series is a fantasy story set around a travelling circus, which in itself is fun and interesting, but it also stars an intersex protagonist, which I’d never before encountered (in genre fiction or otherwise). Micah is a wonderfully likeable protagonist and his gender struggles are explored in a respectful, heartfelt manner. Plus I kind of liked the (sort-of) love triangle that he ends up in with two of the other circus members, which is a rare occurrence for me.

2. Peter Darling by Austin Chant

Peter Darling
With Peter Darling, Austin Chant creates a brilliantly original retelling of the classic tale. Peter in this story is trans and he finds himself back in Neverland to reclaim the Lost Boys and renew his old feud with Captain Hook. It’s a short but sweet story that touches on gender identity and the enemies-to-lovers trope.

3. The Thousand Names (Shadow Campaigns 1) by Django Wexler

the thousand names

I’ve said it before, but this entire series should be the benchmark for mainstream adult epic fantasy when it comes to LGBTQIAP+ representation. Some authors out there are patting themselves on the back for writing in a single gay character (out of a dozen) who appears in a total of maybe three scenes, and meanwhile Django here has amassed a total of (at least) nine queer side characters, plus one lesbian protagonist, by the end of the book 5. So if you’ve never heard the phrase “flintlock fantasy” before and are now curious to try it, I recommend you start with The Thousand Names. It’s got addictive military action, political intrigue, and interesting character relationships.

4. Borderline (The Arcadia Project 1) by Mishell Baker

Borderline

Borderline is the first in an urban fantasy series that stars a disabled bisexual protagonist with bipolar disorder. In another writer’s hands, this might have been a complete disaster. But Mishell Baker writes Millie Roper with startling complexity–funny, not always easy to like, and fucks up a ton, but always, always trying to move forward. The first book also mashes your typical fae lore with Hollywood and the result is incredibly entertaining.

5. Curved Horizon (The Camellia Clock Cycle 2) by Taylor Brooke

Curved Horizon

This one might be considered cheating because I’m reading through it right now and still have about 15% left to go, but it’s impressing the hell out of me, so I want to take this chance to showcase it. The Camelia Clock Cycle books are set in a world where scientists have discovered a way to calculate the exact moment that you meet your soulmate. Book 2 follows Daisy and Chelsea (former is Asian and demi, the latter is bi), who were secondary characters from the first book, as they navigate through trauma, mental health, and the complexities of love and friendship. Brooke does such an exquisite job exploring these characters and their demons to the fullest; there’s angst and heartbreak, but also moments where the characters just talk and try to figure things out. It combines the messiness of real life with the sweet optimism of romance novels, and I’m loving every bit of it.

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Have you read any of the books on this list? And shower me with your queer book recommendations!

 

 

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Top Five Wednesday

Top 5 Wednesday – Favourite Summer Reads

by Kathy @ Pages Below the Vaulted Sky
written by Kathy @ Pages Below the Vaulted Sky

T5W-Summer-Reads-banner

“Top 5 Wednesday” is a weekly meme currently hosted on Goodreads by Sam of Thoughts on Tomes, where you list your top 5 for the week’s chosen topic. This week’s theme is: favourite summer reads.

I ran into a bit of a roadblock with this one because I wasn’t exactly sure what books my brain categorizes as “summer reads.” Are they books that are set during summer, or are they ones that you just feel like reading during summer? And if the latter, I can’t be the only one who feels like reading cold, dark, moody stuff during these months. I mean, what better way to combat the sweltering heat than with a book about an Antarctic expedition? Or one about a haunted doll?

I couldn’t decide so I divided my list into books that are fun light-hearted romps; books that send chills down your spine–thus saving you on air conditioning bills; and one book that just needs to be read during the summer.

1. The Gentleman’s Guide to Vice and Virtue by Mackenzi Lee

Gentleman's Guide
I read this in the summer of last year so I may be biased, but Gentleman’s Guide is a fun, uncomplicated story in which young lord Henry and his companions embark on a tour of Europe that soon gets sidetracked into something rather unexpected and harrowing. It’s not quite the rollicking adventure the blurb had me believe, but it’s got a sweet romance, a mystery, and pirates–and that combo just screams “summer” to me.

2. Kings of  the Wyld by Nicholas Eames

Kings of the Wyld
Kings of the Wyld is such a ridiculously fun read. Set in a medieval fantasy world where adventuring bands are like the rock bands of today (they have band names, they go on tours, their weapons correlate to various instruments, and so forth), it’s a story that’s exciting and funny but also strangely heartwarming–it had me chuckling to sniffling in a matter of paragraphs. And most of all, it’s such a smack on the lips to lovers of fantasy RPGs. So spice up your summer with this pulse-pounding adventure!

3. Bird Box by Josh Malerman

Bird BoxI never really got scared reading horror books as I did watching horror movies (something about the lack of sound and strong visuals). But then Bird Box came along. Its characters are blindfolded for the majority of the story and the horrors that haunt them are unknown and unseen. Malerman masterfully–and evilly–uses your imagination against you and leaves you chilled and shaking for hours after you finish. I read most of it in bed at night in the dark, which turned out to be a terrible, terrible idea, because I couldn’t fall sleep or even get out of bed to turn the lights on.

4. The Bear and the Nightingale by Katherine Arden

The Bear and the Nightingale
Rooted in Russian folktales, much of The Bear and the Nightingale is set in winter and Katherine Arden does such a fantastic job bringing the season to life. She’ll make you feel the inhuman cold racing through your body and smell and taste the freshly fallen snow. Perfect for those hot, stuffy nights.

5. On the Jellicoe Road by Melina Marchetta

On the Jellicoe Road2
On the Jellicoe Road isn’t light-hearted or fun, but its setting–a small Australian town–just begs you to read it while surrounded by warmth and rustling summer trees. If you’re reading this masterpiece for the first time, I highly recommend that you do it (if you can) outside on a sunny day, in a secluded area and surrounded by nature. It just enhances the atmosphere of the story and creates this intimate bubble in which friendship is indeed magic and the past and the present merge. And if all of that sounds super vague, just go read the book. It’ll be one of the best decisions you make this summer.

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And that’s it from me! Tell me some of your favourite summer reads and if any of the above books are on your list!

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Top Five Wednesday

Top 5 Wednesday: Intimidating Books on My TBR

by Kathy @ Pages Below the Vaulted Sky
written by Kathy @ Pages Below the Vaulted Sky

“Top 5 Wednesday” is a weekly meme currently hosted on Goodreads by Sam of Thoughts on Tomes, where you list your top 5 for the week’s chosen topic. May is rewind month, and my chosen topic for this week is: intimidating books on my TBR.

1. They Both Die at the End by Adam Silvera

They Both Die At the End

Adam Silvera writes some of the worst best books in YA. By which I mean he writes compelling stories of complex characters dealing with heavy issues…that are ultimately terrible for my own mental health. History is All You Left Me wreaked havoc on my emotions and More Happy Than Not dropped me into a depressive episode. There’s something about his writing style–how simple and almost cutesy it is–that continuously fools my brain into thinking these stories are happy ones. But then they delve into subjects like depression, suicide, and grief, and it’s like being mentally hit by a truck.

So while I have heard many great things about They Both Die at the End, and while I do plan on reading it at some point, I’m not exactly jumping out of my chair to get to it.

2. Discworld by Terry Pratchett

Mort

I have actually read some of Pratchett’s Discworld books, in the form of Tiffany Aching (which I’d loved). Then, years later, I found out that the Aching books were part of a 41-book series, at which point my brain kind of seized up on itself. I mean, I adore Pratchett’s prose, his characters, and his sense of humour, so there’s no good reason for avoiding them, but the sheer number just gets to me. Regardless, I’ve still made it my goal for the next year or so to read through the rest of the series, so we’ll see how that goes.

3. The Red Queen (The Chronicle of Alice 2) by Christina Henry

Red Queen

Alice, the first book in Henry’s The Chronicle of Alice series, can only be described as Alice in Wonderland meets Eastern Promises (a movie which got me seeing Aragorn in a very different light). Basically, it’s human trafficking, sexual violence, and mobsters mixed with the LSD-craziness of Carroll’s classic tale. It’s disturbingly, darkly fascinating, and it was a reading experience I both hated and loved. So I’ve been eyeing the sequel with equal dread and curiosity.

4. The Blade Itself by Joe Abercrombie

The Blade Itself

I love grimdark fantasy. It irks me when people dismiss it as stories about senseless slaughter, loathsome people, and just general hopelessness. Because, to me, it’s the opposite. The purpose of grimdark is about finding a kernel of hope in a sea of darkness. It’s about people who are trying to do their best in a ruthless, unforgiving world.

So what’s stopping me from picking up Abercrombie’s books? The hype. The First Law series is hailed as being the foundation of grimdark, written by a man whose moniker is “Lord Grimdark.” So I’m a little worried I’ll read it and be like, “This is what they’ve been raving about??”

5. Ulysses by James Joyce

Ulysesses

Ah, Ulysses. Worshiped by English profs and teachers everywhere. This one’s in my TBR for part bragging rights and part genuine curiosity. I’ve known people who thought Joyce was a complete hack and this book utter trash, and others who consider it the greatest piece of literature published in the last 100 years. And while I generally like seeing stream-of-consciousness techniques in books, I don’t know if I can stomach 600 pages of it.

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Have you read any of these books? See any that you think I should read immediately?

 

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Top Five Wednesday

Top 5 Wednesday – Favourite SFF Covers (that are Red and Blue)

by Kathy @ Pages Below the Vaulted Sky
written by Kathy @ Pages Below the Vaulted Sky

“Top 5 Wednesday” is a weekly meme currently hosted on Goodreads by Sam of Thoughts on Tomes, where you list your top 5 for the week’s chosen topic. May is rewind month, and my chosen topic is: favourite SFF covers.

Now, there are many incredible SFF covers out there, and it’s impossible to include them all on this list, so I’m going to get a bit more specific and share some of my favourite fantasy covers that are red and blue, which happen to be my favourite colours.

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1. Certain Dark Things (US)

Certain Dark Things
The interplay of the dark shadows and the blood red is something I will never stop loving. There’s something elegant yet dangerous about it, which perfectly describes the  protagonist of the story, who happens to be a vampire.

 

 

 

 

 

2. Assassin’s Fate (UK) – Art by Jackie Morris

Assassin's Fate (UK Cover)
Jackie Morris did all the covers for the new UK editions of Hobb’s Realm of the Elderlings series. But this last one for Assassin’s Fate takes the cake. This picture doesn’t fully convey how beautiful this cover is. With gold foiling that shines brilliantly against a blue background,this is one of the most gorgeous books I own.

 

 

 

3. Deathless (UK Paperback)

Deathless

While I do like the Tor cover of Deathless, it’s a little too…sophisticated. The UK edition, however, isn’t quite so civilized–it’s rough, it’s textured, the feathers are drawn violently, and there’s a yellow eye staring right at you. And I love it to bits. I think it perfectly represents the themes of life and death explored in the story. Plus, it looks like something you would see right out of an old volume of fairytales.

I couldn’t find out the artist’s name so if anyone knows, drop me a comment!

 

4. Strange the Dreamer (UK Hardback)

Strange the Dreamer
UK, you guys are killing it with these covers. While I do like the reflective blue of the North American cover, the contrasting gold and deep blue of the UK edition is nothing short of mesmerizing. This is one I could stare at all day long.

 

 

 

 

5. Amberlough (US Hardback) – Art by Victo Ngai

Amberlough


Victo Ngai is one of my favourite cover artists. She’s prominent in SFF, covering books like Vicious, Bark: The Elephant’s Graveyard, and the paperback edition of Neil Gaiman’s The Norse Mythology. The Amberlough cover is probably my favourite, though. It’s vibrant, it’s sexy, and she captured the personality of the two main characters perfectly.

 

 

 

 

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Top Five Wednesday

Top 5 Wednesday: Favourite Non-Written Novels

by Kathy @ Pages Below the Vaulted Sky
written by Kathy @ Pages Below the Vaulted Sky

“Top 5 Wednesday” is a weekly meme currently hosted on Goodreads by Sam of Thoughts on Tomes, where you list your top 5 for the week’s chosen topic.

This is my first post for rewind month and my chosen topic is: Favourite Non-Written Novels (comics, manga, audiobooks, etc). I’m going to cheat a little here and showcase five of my favourite graphic novels and five of my favourite manga. Because choices–they’re hard.

Graphic Novels

Graphic-novels-1

  • Saga (Written by Brian K. Vaughan; Art by Fiona Staples):
    Hands down the best scifi graphic novel out there.
  • Descender (Written by Jeff Lemire; Art by Dustin Nguyen):
    Think Artificial Intelligence (the movie) but not as depressing. The worldbuilding is fascinating and intricate, and the artwork is done in gorgeous watercolour.
  • The Wake (Written by Scott Snyder; Art by Sean Murphy):
    While I hate how the ending of this one-shot graphic novel was handled, the first half is just absolute perfection. It’s about a Marine Biologist who gets sent to an underwater oilrig and discovers ancient creatures that humans weren’t meant to find. It’s spine-tingling horror at its finest.

Graphic-Novels-2

  • The Woods (Written by James Tynion IV; Art by Michael Dialynas):
    An entire highschool (the building plus the students) gets transported to a different planet on a whole different universe, and a group of teens must figure out a way to survive. It’s fun, exciting, and super super diverse. The series has also been greenlit for a TV adaptation at Syfy!
  • Unsounded (Written and illustrated by Ashley Cope):
    Unsounded has to be the best fantasy webcomic out there. Ashley has created a world that is ludicrously rich and complex and characters that dig into your heart with tenacity. There are 12 1/2 (meaty) chapters so far, and it updates every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.

Manga

Manga1

  • Blade of the Immortal by Hiroaki Samura:
    This sweeping pseudo-historical epic spans 31 volumes and I had to restrain myself hard from devouring it all in one week. Set in an alternate 18th-century Japan, it stars a teenage girl named Rin, who’s on a quest for vengeance, and her companion/bodyguard Manji, who’s been cursed with immortality. The artwork is the beautiful balance of sensuous and violent, and the characters (especially the antagonists) are all wonderfully complex. The series took 20 years to finish (1993 to 2012), and Samura has said that he never wants to draw a single kimono ever again. And you know what? Fair enough. He’s earned a break.
  • 20th Century Boys by Naoki Urasawa:
    Honestly, I could add all of Naoki Urasawa’s work on this list and be happy with the result, but if I must to pick a favourite, it’s got to be 20th Century Boys. It’s a coming-of-age story to end all coming-of-age stories. It’s also a part mystery, part scifi, and part superhero/supervillain story. Words can’t do this masterpiece justice. Just go check it out.
  • A Silent Voice by Yoshitoki Oima:
    A Silent Voice gives one of the best depictions of the pains of childhood and bullying I’ve encountered in recent memory. The MC is not immediately likeable from the get-go–he’s a bully who’d tormented a deaf girl to the point of her switching schools. Years later, he’s wracked with guilt and is determined to do whatever it takes to make it up to her. It’s a hard read but a necessary one–filled with as much hope and compassion as pain and horror.

Manga2

  • Ouran High School Host Club by Bisco Hatori:
    OHSHC was (and still is, in my opinion) the bar to beat for Shoujo mangas. It’s a reverse-harem story that subverts usual reverse-harem tropes. Starring the most unlikely heroine and a group of eccentric boys, this series is at once funny, charming, and heartwarming.
  • Cardcaptor Sakura by CLAMP:
    This was the very first manga series I’d read as a kid and it’ll always hold a special place in my heart. The story just radiates with so many positive themes–friendship, love, courage, just to name a few. It was also probably my first introduction to queer characters in fiction, which is pretty wild.

 

 

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