AO3/FFN: You Have A New Comment On Your Fic

AO3/FFN: You have a new comment on your fic

Me (to myself): This is great. I’m going to get a good grade in fic writing, something that is both normal to want and possible to achieve,

Trying to figure out if you’re ace or aro can be so goddamn hard because it’s like, trying to find the absence of something. Imagine you’re at a pond and you want to know if there are any turtles, or fish. Say you find a turtle and you’re like “great! Now I know there are turtles.” Or a fish, now you know for sure there are fish. Or you find both, and now you know for a fact there are both turtles and fish in the pond.

But like, if you don’t find any turtles it might be that there are no turtles or maybe you’re just really shitty at looking for turtles and maybe you THINK you saw a turtle over there or maybe it was just a stick. Maybe there are only a few turtles. Maybe you need to do something special to find the turtles. Maybe a bunch of these rocks are actually turtles but you couldn’t tell them apart. Maybe there are no turtles. You have no idea. Meanwhile some people are saying “Oh there have to be turtles! You’ll find them eventually ;)” or “How many turtles have you found in your pond?” or “Try planting some vegetables at the shore to attract the turtles.” Or “Oh no! What disaster happened to your pond that there are no turtles?” And you’re just standing there wet with an empty net and a tired expression.

But whatever because whether there are turtles or fish or not your pond’s ecology works just fine without them because that’s what eco-communities do they form a system around what they have. You aren’t missing anything if you don’t have turtles you just have a pond system without turtles. If someone tried to change you by pouring a bunch of turtles into your pond it would probably fuck something up.

So you don’t have to be entirely sure. You don’t have to search every inch of the damn pond before you can decide there are probably no turtles. If you want to take the aro or ace label because you think it fits go for it. And if you do find your turtles you can rename the pond. That’s fine.

I haven’t posted in forever thanks to life, but one thing drove me back: wheel of time

First things first: I’m a book fan, but it was only once and it has been several years since I read them last, so I might misremember things. Currently rereading them.

I so badly wanted to see how other people felt about the show, because I’m having a great time overall. Only really frustrated with the fridging of a character made for the show and the removal of a very important chapter/scene for a core character. I know they’re moving it to later, but I feel like the inclusion AND referencing of that scene early on may have had changed people’s opinions about said character.

Unfortunately so SO many book fans seem to be the worst kind of book purists. I was looking for people to discuss the episodes with on their own merits (because there are some issues) and was greeted to fans who were upset bc it wasn’t ‘their’ wheel of time. It’s an adaptation and it was already said beforehand it would be changed. They literally weren’t given the time to do the show exactly like the books (or close really), but I’ve really felt that many of the changes were for the better.

Am I sad that Mat’s dad is a douche here? Yes, but I love seeing parental Mat and him being a lovable rogue earlier on than the frustrating character we get in the first three/four books. Do I dislike the creation of a wife for Perrin only to kill her? Yes, but it is pushing Perrin’s character arc forward in a way that show watchers will understand more than just using his size and capacity for violence which might not make sense to some people.

There are other changes I’m frustrated with BUT at the end of the day, this show has made me hopeful. Each episode has been better than the last. There are far too many people trying to shut the show down and don’t realize that, even if you personally don’t like what’s happening, please know that this show can only be a good thing. I already know several people who are picking up the books that wouldn’t have beforehand if the show hadn’t made them interested, and it’s only just had it’s fourth episode.

Should I create a side blog? I’ve never done it before and just usually post stuff here, but I know some people are here for Mafia series stuff and now some people are here for the wheel of time book club I’m working on. Dunno.

Not to mention my username is a dragon age reference, but I barely ever post dragon age stuff. That’s gotta be weird.

Wheel of Time Book Club Eye of the World Prologue: Dragonmount

Let’s start at the beginning! (A very good place to start)

Full disclosure: my first read I didn’t finish the series. I got through a good chunk (a little over halfway) and then a friend spoiled the rest for me... extensively. I started doing my own research afterwards so that we could have actual conversations, but starting around book 8 or 9, it’ll sort of be and not be new territory for me. It’s definitely gotten to the point where I’m a little unsure what I’ve read and what I’ve not, so I might suddenly (in those books) say “oh! I don’t remember this!”.

In the meantime, let’s talk the prologue to the Eye of the World. I think I’ve decided on spoilers, because I want to discuss the foreshadowing in the series so SPOILER WARNING.

I think I ended up reading the prologue about three times because it’s just so good. I think it definitely exemplifies what I enjoy about Jordan’s writing and gives the reader a taste of what is to come. Not only does it set the tone with the descriptions (a very visceral tone), but it also introduces us to two major characters: Lews Therin Telamon and ‘Elan Morin Tedronai’.

I absolutely love their interactions and how we can juxtapose them with their interactions later in the series (technically?). It definitely sets up Lews Therin’s madness, not to mention it works really well with Rand’s own issues later and his fear of killing those he cares about and when he almost does. 

One thing that I didn’t notice before was the implication from Elan (since that is what he is referred to as, that is what I will call him here) that Lews Therin was named Dragon and did not embrace it, so it wasn’t a celebrated title even then. Maybe it was addressed later in the series than I read and was never discussed or maybe I just don’t remember that plot point. Either way, he was probably named such by his enemies instead of it being a title to show admiration for his power. Naturally, Elan starts listing off all of Lews Therin’s titles and accomplishments, which I’ll admit struck me as a bit of weird exposition first time around, but it fits with what we know of Elan’s personality, so it doesn’t bother me on reread. He’s so grandiose.

I love the early glimpse we get of Elan’s morality and what lead him to the dark. “This war has not lasted ten years, but since the beginning of time. You and I have fought a thousand battles with the turning of the Wheel, a thousand times a thousand, and we will fight until time dies and the Shadow is triumphant!” It definitely sounds like an evil “you may have won this round, but I’ll get you eventually,” but upon reread it’s more like he’s explaining his logic. 

Also just “What hand slew Ilyena Sunhair, Kinslayer? Not mine. Not mine. What hand struck down every life that bore a drop of your blood, everyone who loved you, everyone you loved? Not mine, Kinslayer. Not mine. Remember, and know the price of opposing Shai’tan!” Just. My heart. Especially with the awful way he responds. Then we have the creation of Dragonmount and two excerpts from texts from the fourth age (which is the age AFTER the series and thus would also reflect the knowledge gained in that time) discussing what happened afterwards. The two are The Breaking of the World (alternate title Aleth nin Taerin alta Camora) and The Cycle of the Dragon (Charal Drianaan te Calamon). If anyone remembers what those languages are supposed to be, please let me know. I’m curious.

Please leave replies or comments so that we can discuss this chapter or anything I missed, be it foreshadowing or small details that interest you. I have a friend that’s read the books, but there’s only so often/much that I can inflict my hyperfixation on her.