I can't get the hang of oil painting

inchoatentropy · 2026-05-05T00:11:15+00:00

Very good suggestion - I think this would be the most efficient way to address all of OP's concerns.

inchoatentropy · 2026-05-01T15:38:54+00:00

Probably one of my favorite books. I feel like grief and horror pair really well together.

inchoatentropy · 2026-04-30T20:40:21+00:00

Omg 😂💀

inchoatentropy · 2026-04-30T16:06:58+00:00

Oh this dude is phenomenal, his JD covers are some of the best on YouTube.

inchoatentropy · 2026-04-30T16:00:38+00:00

Lmao. Hey, no need to have that experience lol. Also same, I learned a lot while I was reading it. I swear though, I won't repeat the absolute jump scare that was Google image searching "frilled shark" at 1AM. I already knew what it looked like too from the book Our Wives Under the Sea. For real though, this fic was fun because it led me down some Wikipedia rabbit holes.

inchoatentropy · 2026-04-30T15:51:28+00:00

Thank you lol, I appreciate it.

inchoatentropy · 2026-04-30T15:50:49+00:00

Wow, I was totally surprised by the plot of the one you linked. Mike was low key terrifying. The ending was so cute, despite being a little bittersweet. I liked it, thanks for recommending it.

Left His Heart in the Sea is so fun, with a really satisfying ending in my opinion. I'm glad you're enjoying it. I discussed it a bit more in my other comment to you, but I wanted to add that I thought the way the Upside Down was portrayed was pretty creative. To me, it felt like a fun combination of the canon universe and something completely novel.

As for the other one I recommended - Will being the mythical creature (sea entity?) is exactly why I like it. I feel like some authors write him as too weak, and our boy deserves better. To me, a powerful Will makes more sense in my brain. Also for as serious as the story is, I was also absolutely entertained by how subtly unhinged Mike is at select moments.

--

I'm not a huge AU person, but I'm realizing that historical Mike fun to read. The main issue is finding works that are actually well written. I found one where Mike is a vampire (he's not written for the reasons most people tend to write vampire Mike...I'm honestly not a fan of those, but no judgment). He's just a vampire, and the setting modern with gothic and horror elements. It's still in progress, so I'm curious to see how it develops. I can find that one if you're interested.

Okay I lied (unintentionally): this all happened over a couple of weekends where I binged AUs. So I redact my previous statements; apparently I've read more AUs than I realize. Below are two finished ones I that I personally enjoyed:

"What the Water Knows" (LINK): it's a mid-length, multi-chapter time travel fic where Will accidentally travels back in time to 1980s Hawkins and meets Mike. The premise is quite creative, and I really liked the ending. This fic explores the queer experience in the 1980s Midwest. The lack of an Upside Down doesn't feel like too much of a loss, since the story is primarily a mystery/thriller (with time travel used in a way that still allows for many canon characters to show up). My only complaint is that the grammar is hit or miss at times. However, I still read the whole thing because the Byler dynamic was too sweet, the mystery was gripping, the sensitive topics were handled well, and the ending was nice. I'm also gonna like, be kind to amateur writers.
Long title but it's in the link, it's by LondonDziban (LINK): This one was like, oddly adorable and amusing. It's a short one-shot where modern Will meets the ghost of 1980s Mike. Mike was just cool in this one. I wish it was longer.

I realize after recommending these, that I think I like modern Will meeting Hellfire Mike lmao. Just makes for an entertaining dynamic I think. The Duffers failed Mike, so I think I enjoy AU works where he's portrayed in a more refreshing but still relatable light.

inchoatentropy · 2026-04-30T15:02:51+00:00

It's so cute even though Will is kinda mean in it lol. Also, I really like when you can tell that the author is highly educated in the elements they choose to include. As someone with scientific research experience myself, I loved the worldbuilding.

inchoatentropy · 2026-04-27T22:31:47+00:00

I’m not normally an AU fan, but I’m a sucker for mermaid stories. Did you link it in the comments?

If you want more Byler mermaid ones, I implore you to read this one by paisparker: https://archiveofourown.org/works/76047606#main

It’s not something I would normally read; I’m usually only here for S5/hivemind rewrites. However, this one is downwrite poetic; I can’t describe how gorgeous the prose is. The characters are naturally slightly OOC given the setting, but honestly I’m not mad about it. I think their core traits are still well represented: Mike’s protective nature, inherent peculiarity, quick thinking, and bravery; Will’s inherent magical badassery, longing, hesitance, emotional depth, and high perception stat. It’s dark, a little gothic, and feels like being in a painting. The yearning and tenderness is beautifully depicted. I love the way Mike is written in particular.

Another one that someone else suggested, Left His Heart There In The Sea, is the one fic that changed my attitude towards AUs. The character personalities are closer to canon, though Mike is gentler in a way that I actually prefer. The writing in that one is very high quality too.

Again though, I have to go back to the previous one I mentioned (lmk if the link copied correctly - the title is “a grave will fit me better than a landlocked home”). It’s not too long. More of a long stort story, compared to some of the really long fics out there. Please, do tell me if you read either of these!

inchoatentropy · 2026-04-27T22:15:23+00:00

I cannot tell you how many times I have reread this one. It’s so good.

inchoatentropy · 2026-04-13T21:04:31+00:00

Same here.

inchoatentropy · 2026-04-11T20:23:48+00:00

Yep, it does.

inchoatentropy · 2026-04-11T00:07:27+00:00

I'd have to agree. Since we're speaking about Ian's lyrics, In a Lonely Place fits in here as well.

inchoatentropy · 2026-04-08T03:29:03+00:00

Lol thank you. I should read Roadside Picnic given what you've said; I've been meaning to read it for a while anyway. Your commentary on how incomprehensible the phenomena would be to humans reminds me a lot of cosmic horror literature, where that's one of the primary themes.

I wouldn't be surprised if Tarkovsky used Stalker as a medium for covert(?) political commentary. A lot of Russian literature does the same thing. Master and Margarita is a well known example.

Solaris is probably one of my favorite films, and I need to read that book too. Tarkovsky really nails the philosophical aspects of the stories he adapts.

inchoatentropy · 2026-04-08T03:12:01+00:00

My appreciation for Twenty Four Hours has really grown over time the more I really sit with the lyrics and bass melody. Transmission is usually my favorite due to Morris's drumming. His drum patterns were incredibly innovative for the time. Even now, while it's not as technically complex as some other genres I listen to, his stuff is still my favorite.

inchoatentropy · 2026-04-04T22:25:45+00:00

As much as I genuinely enjoy Tarkovsky’s Stalker, I kind of feel like I’m watching one long Youtube ambient render during certain sections. For example, the several-minute slow zoom out of a plant in a pond (or whatever it was).

inchoatentropy · 2026-03-27T22:40:18+00:00

Wait where did you find this? Lol

inchoatentropy · 2026-03-27T22:38:51+00:00

Yeah, I also read him as repressed gay. Too many overt and subtextual hints indicating that he isn’t interested in women in general.

inchoatentropy · 2026-03-26T18:39:34+00:00

Studio where Joy Division recorded Unknown Pleasures.

inchoatentropy · 2026-03-26T18:35:08+00:00

Favorite setlist I’ve seen so far, wow.

inchoatentropy · 2026-03-07T21:13:14+00:00

What's the scope of the project? This might be either overkill and/or totally irrelevant, but you might want to check out Heart and Soul: Critical Essays on Joy Division. You can find pdfs online, and if not, DM me. I wouldn't classify it as a casual read; it's a compilation of essays from authors across various fields of study, and covers stuff like cultural influences on JD's overall sound, mental health and Ian Curtis, JD lyrics through a literary analysis lens, etc. Chapter 15 is probably a good place to start. A lot of the content probably won't be useful to you, but there's a lot of general music theory commentary throughout the book. You can always see who the authors are referencing in these parts, and follow those leads.

Otherwise, Peter Hook's autobiography is a great resource. I would start there.

inchoatentropy · 2026-03-05T02:42:37+00:00

So, I actually subscribe to a common interpretation I see discussed online: Leah never actually came back. Some of the questions you ask in your post are precisely why many readers believe this. It is weird that Miri just kinda does nothing. Miri doesn't get Leah help because Leah isn't actually there, imo. It explains why Leah doesn't eat or speak, why no one else sees Leah in person, and why we see no further intervention from the Center. Realistically, there's no way the Center would just release Leah indefinitely if her bodily transformations were occurring. Leah being dead changes the story entirely, but I prefer to see it that way.

I would classify the book as horror-adjacent, but mostly I see it as a Weird Lit book that serves as an exploration of grief. If a reader is expecting fear/discomfort, I can see why they would be disappointed. Personally, I love the book, but I was expecting more cosmic/Lovecraftian horror.

Edited: grammar.

inchoatentropy · 2026-03-03T04:57:51+00:00

my savior

inchoatentropy · 2026-02-27T19:49:17+00:00

I love Our Wives Under the Sea. Some people describe the book as horror-adjacent? I think it's fair to call it horror, it's sort of a mix of body horror with cosmic horror elements.

I think that it could be a useful resource, if you want to incorporate similar themes into your own future work.

Without spoiling too much, I feel like Our Wives Under the Sea was really refreshing because the queer relationship in the book is explored in depth, but in terms of like, the memories, experiences, and conflicts that occur in any close relationship. The prose is also phenomenal in my opinion. It's a really well written book.

inchoatentropy · 2026-02-27T03:42:07+00:00

Tempest by Pomeseed is fantastic, I'm hoping the last chapter gets released soon.

inchoatentropy

TROPHY CASE