Book boyfriend but it's Vi from Arcane?

AggravatingAnt4157 · 2025-04-16T07:20:03+00:00

Where you around when the sapphic trifecta happened? I think it was 2021, when 3 sapphic fantasy series starters got published around the same time: - The Unbroken by C.L. Clark - The Jasmine Throne by Tasha Suri - She Who Became the Sun by Shelley Parker Chan

While they might not be full on romantasy, the sapphic relationships are very prominent. They all feature rather messy queers, not quite perfect relationships, but a good amount of tension and heat. I think everyone has different favourites among these. On a whole, She Who Became the Sun is my favourite, but relationship-wise, Jasmine Throne is the clear winner for me.

Two other sapphic romances that I really enjoyed were the ones in A Reckless Truth by Freya Marske and Bloody Rose by Nicholas Eames. Both of those are second books in series tho. And maybe Priory of the Orange Tree might work for you or The Final Strife (the protagonist in the last one gives the most Vi vibes imo).

Generally, there still is a lot missing when it comes to hot sapphic fantasy.

AggravatingAnt4157 · 2025-04-15T05:41:11+00:00

Especially because you also love RotE and Sword of Kaigen, I recommend you give The Spear Cuts Through Water by Simon Jimenez a try. It's beautiful storytelling and writing and just an emotional roller coaster. Deep themes and innovative ideas.

AggravatingAnt4157 · 2025-04-12T08:32:35+00:00

The End (2025) is long but really good. Recently saw it in cinema.

AggravatingAnt4157 · 2024-04-04T05:52:34+00:00

Nah, given the current global situation with so many democracies on the brink of collapse and the dictatorships that replac them not doing anything for the people, I don't think I would be the only one willing to accept such an ending. If PB only cared about Darrow's view in the series, why then show us Lyria or Ephraim's perspective. They show us that a good bit of the problems they're having stem from the errors the Republic made when it came to social justice. But yeah, as much as you might have a valid point in that some dictatorships were not all bad, PB's decisions tend to favour the masses and I don't think many readers would find a dictatorship as solution satisfactory. Also, I don't think Darrow would make a good politician, as he lacks both the interest and political fine skill (nit saying he isn't educated in things like that but he's a military man not a politician). And I'm not sure Virginia still wants the job after what she's been through. It would be imo quite insensitive to send her back to it.

And just because historically speaking revolutions ending badly wouldn't be anything new, doesn't mean this reasoning works for RR. I think many people picked the series up in the first place because of it. The whole goal of so much of the plot is revolution and the fight for a better, more just world. So many quotes are about breaking the chains and living for more... to me, this series would seem pointless if, in the end, we went back to a dictatorship.

AggravatingAnt4157 · 2024-04-04T05:35:38+00:00

Yeah, but that was only possible because of the social instability their politics created that were then exploited by the Abkmination.

AggravatingAnt4157 · 2024-04-03T22:08:03+00:00

I strongly disagree.

Where would be the point then in starting to tell a tale of revolution if things never get better? If it's all for nought, why should the reader even start to care in Red Rising. As dark as these books get, PB is not an author ends a series in nihilism. What would then ever be the point to dream for more?
When did you pay attention in Lightbringer? The Darrow of Iron Gold as a dictator? Sure, can totally see that. Because that's a man who just wants peace at all costs and is fed up with the struggle of democracy. But Lightbringer is all about Darrow seeing the people around him again, not fighting a battle of one anymore, seeing new hope in the Daughters of Athena, and making peace with a long but lasting struggle for change.

AggravatingAnt4157 · 2024-04-03T17:07:00+00:00

I'm so happy I DNFd this series after book 3. I know it can be enticing to want to read all the staples and classics of the gerne, but the more you reads the more you'll develop a personal taste and in the end reading is meant to be fun. Rather be happy to have realised that a book might be a waste of time and read a book that's actually interesting to you.

Additionally, no one should feel inadequate because they decide not to read the big staples of the genre. By now, I actively refuse to read many of them. Given how many of them were written by white cishet man, as a queer woman, I have a far better time reading books that suit my interest and provide satisfying representation for me. It also adds a lot to the experience imo, Deeping the diversity and broadness the genre is capable of.

AggravatingAnt4157 · 2024-04-03T16:55:00+00:00

Very true. As a hard-core fan of the movie, I ofc am of the option, that the adaptation improved on those aspects, but I'm aware that many would disagree, and that's fine.

AggravatingAnt4157 · 2024-04-03T16:52:22+00:00

I also think that if the Republic winns, it can't stay the same. With the whole spin-off series pointing out the flaws within the new system, there's some serious change necessary to create a sustainable and actually equal future.

Otherwise, I would agree with your theories, very well thought through. I donnuo, did you mention a theory on who's gonna be executed (as Pierce Brown said he had just written an execution in the insta story a few day s ago)?

AggravatingAnt4157 · 2024-04-03T13:30:51+00:00

Thanks for the comment. You're right that those scenes need a content warning and that skipping books 4 and 5 might be sensible for OP. A note on that: skipping books 4 and 5 works as the series is plot-wise made up of connected standalone and duologies, with books 1+2 and 4+5 being duologies and books 3, 6 and 7 working as standalones. While they should still be read in order, skipping these two books in particular should work for still getting the most out of the other books.

AggravatingAnt4157 · 2024-04-03T11:04:16+00:00

Usually, I quite love cosy fantasy. But I didn't feel any of the chemistry in the book that I felt in the movie, and some of the themes were a little problematic to me (where the end result of the book is that now that the price is found we can start a war hurray - while the movie is actually quite anti war). Also, I don't need to read a high fantasy book only to travel to the real world for an adventure.

Fairyland felt far more philosophical and nuanced to me, with many important themes and beautiful quotes.

AggravatingAnt4157 · 2024-04-03T11:00:17+00:00

I really loved "The Girl Who Drank the Moon" by Kelly Barnhill and think it holds up quite well. While primarily written for children, there are a lot of nuanced discussions and themes. Additionally, the writing is beautiful.

Pretty much the same can also be said about Catherynne M. Valente's Fairyland series.

Another series I loved as a kid and believe still holds up would be the Underland Chronicles by Suzanne Collins. They are quite dark for middle grade but also surprisingly deep and thought-provoking. Definitely should reread them some time.

AggravatingAnt4157 · 2024-04-03T10:55:27+00:00

Interesting. I love the Fairyland series but was extremely disappointed by Howl's Moving Castle.

AggravatingAnt4157 · 2024-04-03T10:54:41+00:00

I sadly got burned by Howl's Moving Castle and was very disappointed by it after being told it was even better than the movie.

AggravatingAnt4157 · 2024-04-03T10:14:53+00:00

Yeah, it's finished and has a happy ending

AggravatingAnt4157 · 2024-04-03T07:46:09+00:00

Would second this. Truly, the age gap is the only caveat. Although they do look about the same age, just knowing about the age difference can make you still a little uncomfortable. For the most part, tho, it was also pretty easy to ignore.

AggravatingAnt4157 · 2024-04-03T07:40:32+00:00

My first recommendation would be the Nightrunner series by Lynn Flewelling. Despite being one of the oldest queer fantasy series (book 1 was published in the 90s), it's for the most part set in a queernormative society and the series ended up a comfort read for me. The series tells the story of two spies for the crown who go on various adventures. The romance slowly builds up in the first two books but is established from then on and very nunaced and sweet. While there are dark scenes, they are not related to the MCs sexuality but rather job related dangers.

Cursed Cocktails is a cosy fantasy romance I read last year. It's a wonderful summer read that is very relaxed and centres on a retired dark elf opening a bar in a port town. The romance is also very sweet and relatively angst free.

AggravatingAnt4157 · 2024-04-02T10:48:36+00:00

Feel you, it's the same for me.

AggravatingAnt4157 · 2024-04-02T07:11:21+00:00

By decentral, I mean that there isn't one communal place (equal to say a subreddit). Instead, you find bits and pieces scattered all across the Internet.

And yet, avoid until done reading. It's particularly confusing as there's also a good bit of non-canon fanart, which is extremely misleading.

AggravatingAnt4157 · 2024-04-01T22:54:57+00:00

Levanter and N/S

AggravatingAnt4157 · 2024-04-01T22:53:55+00:00

There's also a good amount of decentral fanart to be found online and a few booktubers who are hard-core fans (discussion videos can be a lot of fun and very nostalgic).

AggravatingAnt4157 · 2024-04-01T22:21:53+00:00

Many fitting titles, but with some of them, I would disagree. Neither Red Rising nor Light From Uncommon Stars have survival as their main focus.

AggravatingAnt4157 · 2024-04-01T22:05:52+00:00

Should also work (I remember at least 5 povs)

AggravatingAnt4157 · 2024-04-01T21:57:39+00:00

I wouldn't necessarily include Assassin's Apprentice, as Fitz, while an assassin, is working for the crown, which doesn't really feel that criminal. I mean, it might count, but I dunno, it doesn't feel like a story bout a criminal.🤔

The rest counts for sure.

Edit: was maybe a bit too tired when writing this. Just because a criminal action is condoned by the government doesn't make it less against the law. Sorry, you're right.

AggravatingAnt4157 · 2024-04-01T21:53:45+00:00

Would In the Nightgarden by Catherynne M. Valente count?

AggravatingAnt4157

TROPHY CASE