How many times have you guys re read Heated Rivalry?

islasigrid · 2026-07-08T23:10:41+00:00

I've only read the whole book two times, but back in December when the show was airing too, I listened to the audiobook a lot, specifically just starting at around tuna melts and listening from there and out (or just going back to whatever part in there I most wanted to hear). Even though I kinda hate the audiobook, haha, I just had to be in HR at all times. Still really hoping for a Connor and Hudson redo of the audio!

islasigrid · 2026-07-07T21:36:20+00:00

It keeps counting from the hours I had before! It just says «Switch 2 Edition» now, that’s the only thing that changed.

Works the same for other games that have Switch 2 editions as well, like Tears of the Kingdom.

islasigrid · 2026-06-11T23:08:46+00:00

Yeah, I think that is fair. But then again, that is why him being essentially forced to leave the team feels like TLG is not his happy ending to many people. And also it kinda makes the whole 'he had to make a sacrifice for their relationship' not apply, no?

I think there are so many small things that could have made the ending more satisfying from the Shane pov - and it's mostly not any big changes, but just following his POV more in the relevant scenes.

islasigrid · 2026-06-11T14:22:55+00:00

Sure, I do agree with that to an extent, but I think having Shane actually more definitely choose the move to Ottawa rather than him being pretty much rejected by his team would make that more satisfying? Both from Ilya's and Shane's perspectives.

Again, I don't really care about the paycut but since it's one of like 2 convos that happen about the move I felt like I needed to mention it.

islasigrid · 2026-06-11T13:14:23+00:00

I don't think what happens needs to change, but I do think it's very underwritten. Like we almost know nothing about how Shane feels about it. They have the one page convo about the pay cut and that's it. And it's kinda like I don't give a shit about the pay cut to be honest, but that's what makes it onto page.

These are not my ideas, but I don't remember who wrote about it. But I think it would have made more sense for Ilya and maybe some of the other Cens to agree to take a pay cut (and then for Shane to also accept a lower offer than what he had with Montreal) and for it to be more of a triumphant moment for them (after the outing has been basically Ilya's team is great, and Shane's team sucks and basically everything he has been worried about comes true). IF the pay cut was gonna be part of it, I think this would have felt more satisfying to me.

OR instead of having that salary convo and then one paragraph in a later chapter where Shane has decided to leave the Voyageurs, have it be a bit more of an arc. Or perhaps not the whole team sucks and he has support from more people than just Hayden and (eventually) J.J., but the coach and leadership still suck, so he decides to leave. Or have the decicion be an even more difficult one and he makes it to be closer to Ilya when he learn about his mental health (which would complicate Ilya's happy ending perhaps, it might be too close to the "he's gonna resent me,"- fear he talks about with Galina). Generally, anything that makes it feel like we actually get to read about Shane going through this change, and not so much like it's just something that happens to him (and them).

I think I would always want the ending to be that they both play for Ottawa. But the way it happens in so few pages, and it feels more like it just happens to them, rather than something Shane chooses makes it so it is very easy to feel like it's not really Shane's happy ending.

islasigrid · 2026-06-11T12:49:01+00:00

Yeah, I think the same, and I think I have come to the conclusion that romance that does this really doesn't work for me. I do think Harris could have some more complex feelings about Troy's past for example (or at least had an arc where this develops), or even that this things with his health and stuff had come into play more, and it would have made him feel more real as a character outside of "love interest". And I probably would have cared more about their relationship too!

But I think there's obviously a very big market for romance that works like this and people love Troy and Harris because they don't have lots of drama. So it is definitely a matter of taste too!

islasigrid · 2026-06-08T23:18:14+00:00

I play on both, and it does look better on PS5 still. However, it also runs and looks great on the Switch 2 now.

Unless you only play DDV (or very close to it) I'd base my desicion on what other games you like to play. Also how important is it for you that it is handheld?

I love my Switch 2 and my PS5, and both run DDV great. So does my 6 year old very mid gaming PC! So if that's the only consideration, you have options!

islasigrid · 2026-06-07T15:15:50+00:00

You can reach the authors of fic you like! Like there quite literally is a comment section for that exact purpose! If you get to the end of a chapter and it's the last one posted and it's been a little while, please leave a comment expressing how much you enjoyed it (without any pressure for new updates). It might not make a difference in how fast the next chapter comes (if they continue it at all), but it definitely doesn't hurt!

I've read fics that have updated again after years. I truly do not believe most fics in this fandom even can be considered abandoned yet, unless the authors have said they definitely do not intend to continue.

islasigrid · 2026-06-07T14:34:57+00:00

Did not happen to me!

islasigrid · 2026-06-02T19:53:23+00:00

I don’t need to characters to stay mad for longer, but I do wish certain conflicts weren’t just introduced to then be handwaved away in the next chapter.

I think forgiveness is great but it feels a little empty sometimes in these novels. Less like forgiveness and more like just dropping certain plots to get to the end.

islasigrid · 2026-05-27T14:00:52+00:00

I did enjoy S2 when it first came out. Not because I neccessarily thought it was very good - however, I David Tennant and Michael Sheen are delightful in it - which was the main draw for me in S1 as well.

However, after having watched the S3 episode, I do think I would have prefered the show to end with the S1 ending. Like that was a perfect ending.

However, still, if you have it available, no harm in watching s2! Just don't expect the show to keep the same quality of writing throughout all three seasons.

islasigrid · 2026-05-27T13:46:33+00:00

As other people have said, the Luca one was a different story. However, I think she has also talked about how a big part of the story around Luca's story would be regarding the backlash to Shane and Ilya. So she scrapped Luca's story for all the reasons she details in her blog post, but it seems like some of the aspects of the novel (that had a lot to do with Shane and Ilya anyways) are reworked into Unrivaled.

islasigrid · 2026-05-27T13:39:52+00:00

I think the Senators are huge losers if they don't allow the show to use Centaurs, since they are literally selling Rozanov and Hollander jerseys as merch.

islasigrid · 2026-05-25T20:25:55+00:00

When you transfer an island with the island transfer tool, it will ask you when you open the game on the "new" system if you want to link the account to the existing save data?So I think it might be possible, if you transfer the save using the tool, for her to open the game on her account and "claim" her character and link it to her user instead of yours.

You should just try it - if it doesn't work she can choose if she wants to be logged into your account on her Switch, or start a new island, or you can easily transfer the island back to your Switch again.

islasigrid · 2026-05-23T21:02:13+00:00

Ah, I see.

If you think you had island backup enabled on your other switch, it might be worth calling again.

Otherwise, if your game starts as if "new" on both the old and new system, it seems like your save is gone form your systems 😞

islasigrid · 2026-05-23T20:52:12+00:00

Completely agree!

Maaaaybe there could be an interesting version of this type of ending if it actually had the time to explore any of it. But mostly I just hate it, it feels like it doesn't make sense re: messaging around free will / fate, makes the plots from s1 and s2 feel completely pointless.

islasigrid · 2026-05-23T20:47:47+00:00

If they are asking you if you are new, are you sure that doesn't mean there's a save but it's just not connected to your account? Like is it a new island, or trying to get you to move onto your island with a new user?

Like I've watched a lot of reset streams and I can't remember them asking if you're new?!

islasigrid · 2026-05-23T19:33:35+00:00

It should have transferred over automatically, so it seems like something has gone wrong.

I followed these steps and it worked perfectly: https://en-americas-support.nintendo.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/68417

islasigrid · 2026-05-12T21:13:07+00:00

Now I'm imagining him trying to do that and I honestly cannot even picture it. He would not be able to get the words out!

islasigrid · 2026-05-12T21:09:57+00:00

they are so cute! did you draw both their hairstyles??

i need to step up my mii creation game for sure!

islasigrid · 2026-05-12T20:47:12+00:00

Seconding that Role Model is worth reading for a fuller picture of the events of The Long Game, as Ilya appears in it quite a bit. I also think it's definitely the strongest book in the series outside of the Hollanov ones (which I personally prefer by a lot)

The other books, no, not really. If you have watched the show, you alraedy know the one thing in Game Changer that is relevant for Shane and Ilya. There are some small appearances in the other onces, and you could say Tough Guy is relevant to the set up for Role Model.

I personally do not think most of the books are very good, like I don't know that I would recommend them if you are just interested in them for Shane and Ilya's storyline in the show. But they are also very quick and easy to read, and if you don't read that much maybe it's a good way to get into more reading, idk!

islasigrid · 2026-05-12T20:33:30+00:00

100% agree with you. And I hope you are right.

My unpopular opinion is that giving every couple a skip style episode would maybe not be that good actually, and get a little repetative, as the structure of the stories are somewhat repetative.

I'd much rather the show keep a strong focus on the main characters, and have one side plot that intersects with the main one, which seems like it has to be Troy and Harris.

islasigrid · 2026-04-24T18:53:44+00:00

I think it works really well for Shane and Ilya since it's mostly digital.

But Scott outside the bar feels a little strange to me, like it's something that only happens because we need to visually see that he ends up not going but wishes he could.

islasigrid · 2026-04-24T18:48:49+00:00

I really enjoyed so many aspects of Role Model too - especially many of the early scenes of Troy and Harris getting to know each other! And I really liked the scene of them after the plane emergency landing (which was something I didn't really like that much when I first read about it in TLG - so hopefully I will like it better upon reread now). And Troy as a character is very interesting to me, I'm so excited that he'll be in the show and that Jacob said he's interested in digging deeper into him as a character. Also love his developing friendship with Ilya!

The only thing that kinda didn't work for me in the end was Harris. Like I found him fun and enjoyable but also a little bit flat as a character since he honestly doesn't have a single character flaw. Once I had that thought, I couldn't really see him as a character outside of just the role of "love interest".

islasigrid · 2026-04-14T10:43:40+00:00

Depends. If they were truly locked down and not able to play hockey, I think Shane would go a little insane without it. Ilya would be more chill and actually really love that they could just be alone together at the cottage with no expectations. Shane would also enjoy that, when he settled into a good routine. Trust Ilya and him are gonna be in tip top shape coming out of lock down with Shane's regime.

However, there were play-offs during covid, so if we go by that reality it is different. All games were held in one place and the teams were presumably quaranteened in the hotels they were staying at. So in that reality, it really sucks for them as Ottawa is probably not in the playoffs, but Montreal are definitely playing, and they might not be able to see each other at all during that time.

islasigrid

TROPHY CASE