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Snowflake Challenge #2
Jan. 7th, 2023 07:41 pmIn your own space, write a promo, manifesto or primer for your fave character, ship or fandom.
Book Series:
Title: The Age of Fire & Dragoneer Academy books, by E. E. Knight
Why I Love It: It's a story about dragons, from the perspective of dragons, so I was already interested. But then, these books ask the important questions: What would dragon architecture be like? What would their culture(s) value? What would hominids (humans, dwarves, elves, etc.) do about the existence of dragons? What would warfare look like? What would a psychic species deal with -- and why would a psychic species evolve? What does the disability aids of each culture and species look like? How do they view disability? How do they view their own history, and their future?
The descriptions come thick and fast, the female characters are treated identically to the male ones (except for the first book...more on that in a bit). For those more interested in the human side of things -- and who would be interested in an academy story set in an Age of Sail with dragons, I cannot recommend the Dragoneer Academy books enough. Unfortunately, there are only two, as the third was turned down by the publisher.
The first book, Dragon Champion, is good, but I would recommend reading it second, as the first 3 books can be read in any order. The 4th book should be read before starting Novice Dragoneer, skipping books 5&6 of the first series. Book 5 is okay, but it's highly skippable, and Book 6 is an unfiltered mess of typos and plot inconsistencies.
Seriously, after Book 4, the story arcs of all the characters are complete, and the world is well set up for the Dragoneer Academy books set 300-400 years later.
Why It Skipped Fandom: The books suffered from a lack of marketing direction -- these books are middle-grade/YA (the Dragoneer Academy books even more so), and instead were marketed to the adult SFF market, which received them with a "eh, they're alright". Book 1 should not be read first, because, to put it quite short, there's a toddler death. And when you put that in the first book, it's going to lose a lot of potential audience members.
TV Series:
Title: Backstrom
Why I Love It:
"What's Backstrom?"
"Well, at some point in 2012 Hart Hanson had a brick of cocaine and said 'why don't we make Dwight into a dark and serious role? And we'll get the guy from Rocky Mountain Christmas to play one of his co-workers, that's the ticket!' Anyway, I recommend all 13 hurried episodes"
Rainn Wilson (yes, really) was SO excited for this role, and he gives a way too real performance as a man with too much empathy, a whole lot of anger, and social skills exclusively honed to dealing with attackers. Someone who is depressed, anxious, and easily read as autistic.
The idea is that he's an empath, and that makes him a really good detective, but unfortunately, as he can't turn it off, he is, as the show describes, "everyone", and having to see the worst of humanity all the time always has made him even more of a disaster than he'd already be normally. And part of it is because he was a Gifted Child, in the most literal sense. A psychic investigator -- an empath! His dad has less raw talent but better people skills, and that goes as well as you'd think (he's a Corrupt Sherriff).
Because, yes, Backstrom's Dad, drag an empathic child into a murder investigation.
Even more than that, it decided to get realistic with the little things about mental illness -- the messes, the rituals, the defensive behaviors, the jokes that fall flat, the 3am cereal after the midnight fridge pizza. Part of the reason I like Backstrom so much isn't just because of the Too Real Depression Stuff (although that's good), it's the way that it's pounded in just how much of Backstrom's life is trying to get things to shut up.
Drink till the voices shut up. Medicate** till you can't talk. Eat till your brain stops moving. Put on TV and radio and music and craft project and talk to yourself because GOD FUCKING DAMNIT SHUT UP.
You didn't need to go that hard, show with Nu-Metal theme song and the guy from Rocky Mountain Christmas.
Why It Skipped Fandom:
Read above paragraphs. Also, it's only got 2 1/2 characters that are conventionally attractive.
Film:
Title: Brick
Why I Love It: It's got so much! Joseph Gordon-Levitt's first adult role, in a film that's a noir set in a Southern California high school. It's Rian Johnson's first directed film as well, so if you're into his style, go check it out!
Why It Skipped Fandom: I don't entirely know, but I'm guessing that the visceral nature of the fight scenes has something to do with it.
Book Series:
Title: The Age of Fire & Dragoneer Academy books, by E. E. Knight
Why I Love It: It's a story about dragons, from the perspective of dragons, so I was already interested. But then, these books ask the important questions: What would dragon architecture be like? What would their culture(s) value? What would hominids (humans, dwarves, elves, etc.) do about the existence of dragons? What would warfare look like? What would a psychic species deal with -- and why would a psychic species evolve? What does the disability aids of each culture and species look like? How do they view disability? How do they view their own history, and their future?
The descriptions come thick and fast, the female characters are treated identically to the male ones (except for the first book...more on that in a bit). For those more interested in the human side of things -- and who would be interested in an academy story set in an Age of Sail with dragons, I cannot recommend the Dragoneer Academy books enough. Unfortunately, there are only two, as the third was turned down by the publisher.
The first book, Dragon Champion, is good, but I would recommend reading it second, as the first 3 books can be read in any order. The 4th book should be read before starting Novice Dragoneer, skipping books 5&6 of the first series. Book 5 is okay, but it's highly skippable, and Book 6 is an unfiltered mess of typos and plot inconsistencies.
Seriously, after Book 4, the story arcs of all the characters are complete, and the world is well set up for the Dragoneer Academy books set 300-400 years later.
Why It Skipped Fandom: The books suffered from a lack of marketing direction -- these books are middle-grade/YA (the Dragoneer Academy books even more so), and instead were marketed to the adult SFF market, which received them with a "eh, they're alright". Book 1 should not be read first, because, to put it quite short, there's a toddler death. And when you put that in the first book, it's going to lose a lot of potential audience members.
TV Series:
Title: Backstrom
Why I Love It:
"What's Backstrom?"
"Well, at some point in 2012 Hart Hanson had a brick of cocaine and said 'why don't we make Dwight into a dark and serious role? And we'll get the guy from Rocky Mountain Christmas to play one of his co-workers, that's the ticket!' Anyway, I recommend all 13 hurried episodes"
Rainn Wilson (yes, really) was SO excited for this role, and he gives a way too real performance as a man with too much empathy, a whole lot of anger, and social skills exclusively honed to dealing with attackers. Someone who is depressed, anxious, and easily read as autistic.
The idea is that he's an empath, and that makes him a really good detective, but unfortunately, as he can't turn it off, he is, as the show describes, "everyone", and having to see the worst of humanity all the time always has made him even more of a disaster than he'd already be normally. And part of it is because he was a Gifted Child, in the most literal sense. A psychic investigator -- an empath! His dad has less raw talent but better people skills, and that goes as well as you'd think (he's a Corrupt Sherriff).
Because, yes, Backstrom's Dad, drag an empathic child into a murder investigation.
Even more than that, it decided to get realistic with the little things about mental illness -- the messes, the rituals, the defensive behaviors, the jokes that fall flat, the 3am cereal after the midnight fridge pizza. Part of the reason I like Backstrom so much isn't just because of the Too Real Depression Stuff (although that's good), it's the way that it's pounded in just how much of Backstrom's life is trying to get things to shut up.
Drink till the voices shut up. Medicate** till you can't talk. Eat till your brain stops moving. Put on TV and radio and music and craft project and talk to yourself because GOD FUCKING DAMNIT SHUT UP.
You didn't need to go that hard, show with Nu-Metal theme song and the guy from Rocky Mountain Christmas.
Why It Skipped Fandom:
Read above paragraphs. Also, it's only got 2 1/2 characters that are conventionally attractive.
Film:
Title: Brick
Why I Love It: It's got so much! Joseph Gordon-Levitt's first adult role, in a film that's a noir set in a Southern California high school. It's Rian Johnson's first directed film as well, so if you're into his style, go check it out!
Why It Skipped Fandom: I don't entirely know, but I'm guessing that the visceral nature of the fight scenes has something to do with it.
