[ SECRET POST #3339 ]

[case]

⌈ Secret Post #3339 ⌋

Warning: Some secrets are NOT worksafe and may contain SPOILERS.

01.


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02.
[Taylor Swift]


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03.
(Hamilton the Musical)


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04.
[Pokemon]


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05.
[Supernatural - Jensen Ackles and Misha Collins]


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06.
[Pokemon]


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07. [titc]


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08.
[Battlestar Galactica]


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09.
[Fried Green Tomatoes]


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10. [TW: rape]






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11.
[Good Omens, by Terry Pratchett and Neil Gaiman]
















Notes:

Secrets Left to Post: 01 pages, 025 secrets from Secret Submission Post #477.
Secrets Not Posted: [ 0 - broken links ], [ 0 - not!secrets ], [ 0 - not!fandom ], [ 0 - too big ], [ 0 - repeat ].
Current Secret Submissions Post: here.
Suggestions, comments, and concerns should go here.

Comments

[herpymcderp]

I'm the same way, basically. But it's worse, because I also can't read original work without picking it apart.

Annnd that is why I have sadly taken up reading nothing but literature these days. I never thought it would come to this, but apparently it has.

[(Anonymous)]

Wow you're a fucking twerp.

[(Anonymous)]

Insulting someone for being better-educated than you is less impressive than it sounds in your head.

[herpymcderp]

For posterity, I feel I must point out that this wasn't me.

But I lol'd.

[diet_poison]

wait, why does not wanting to read anything other than literature (which is actually pretty redundant-sounding and probably not as specific as Herpy meant it to be) mean he's better-educated?

[(Anonymous)]

Mistaking "I only read literature" as sure sign of better education is a rather weak assumption.

[(Anonymous)]

As is assuming that wanting to read something other than "literature" means someone is 'better educated', as their, and your, misuse of the word literature indicates otherwise.

[ketita]

...I think I'm headed in that direction myself. It depresses me, because I still love fantasy. But lately it's hard for me to find fantasy to love...

[herpymcderp]

Yeah, that's actually the reason I finally relented and read ASoIaF.

The reviews were correct! GRRM is a very technically proficient writer, so I wasn't constantly tripping over my internal monologue of why would you write it this way.

On the other hand, there were definitely other problems.

[ketita]

The main reason I couldn't get into ASOIAF is because I just didn't like any of the characters, and didn't care if they lived or died. That can be a big hurdle to overcome... so I guess I want something like ASOIAF but that I would like?

And I've read some stuff with characters who were all jerks. Recently for class we read a book that was from the Dutch colonial period, and all the white people in there are all kind of asses. But there was something very charming about the book, and interesting about the way the book portrayed them and was subtly critiquing the colonial system.
I want books that will STAY with me, you know?

[herpymcderp]

Ohhh yeah, that's a thing I felt in the first book for the first ...ten, fifteen chapters or so. Luckily, that roster changes insanely fast and characters get introduced fairly quickly that are really awesome.

But IA, I also want books that will make an impression. I recently read The Master and Margarita, and even if the translation I read wasn't the greatest thing on the planet the story has stuck with me vividly. That just doesn't happen for pulp fiction anymore.

[ketita]

I recently read Dusk (Po-on) by F. Sionil Jose, and wow, yeah. It's one of the few books I've read recently that I want to own.

In a way, it makes me want to write fantasy that is like that, you know? But I don't know that I'm capable of it. I'm okay also with something that's just a great adventure story (like the Vorkosigan saga - those are great books), but I think a lot of authors are not putting in the effort because it's "just" genre fiction, or nobody's laying the expectation on them to do better because they know the audience will read whatever.

I mean I still see people reccing the Dark Elf books about Drizzt Do'Urden and bloody hell, those books are awful.

Drizzt Do'Urden is awesome and you know it

[feotakahari]

Seriously, Drizzt was okay for the first three books and surprisingly good for the next three. Then the series didn't end, the writer stopped trying, and he turned into Shadow the Hedgehog as an elf.

Re: Drizzt Do'Urden is awesome and you know it

[ketita]

Ahahaha that image. I'm dying.

But seriously for a minute, and I don't want to shit on something you like, but since we were talking about quality of writing.... those books are bad. The writing is legit terrible. It's the purplest purple prose, what are character motivations, unclear phrasing, nonsensical character development. It's terrible. The worldbuilding is also the exact opposite of any kind of nuanced.

I read the first book last year, and then started the second book - and halfway through I had to take a break because I found myself thinking oh, the writing isn't actually THAT bad---- so I quickly ran to read something better.
I get liking them as guilty pleasure - I myself have a crazy weakness for Drow elves. But... sorry, I can't agree that these books were good.

Re: Drizzt Do'Urden is awesome and you know it

[feotakahari]

At the very least, I'll give you that the worldbuilding is utter crap. I hate everything about the Forgotten Realms setting, and I hate that it's effectively become the "default" fantasy setting in the same way that Middle-Earth used to be the "default" fantasy setting.

Re: Drizzt Do'Urden is awesome and you know it

[ketita]

Well, I do think that Wee Teen Me would have loved the hell out of those books. I do get the appeal of his character, but the books almost made me wish for a reboot of some sort.
I mean I even love wangst, okay.

Re: Drizzt Do'Urden is awesome and you know it

[herpymcderp]

loooooool

But he was so cool. When you were thirteen. Don't try to deny it.

Re: Drizzt Do'Urden is awesome and you know it

[nightscale]

I still unironically love these stupid books.

The writing is pretty awful looking back though and it just. Didn't. End. Heck it might still be going for all I know. But I do love me Drow.

(I mean I almost want to say the War of the Spider Queen books were better but... eeehh, they had okay bits and really iffy bits. I did like reading about Drow that were completely self-serving and evil though, nice change of pace for me from the Goodest Drow to ever Good).

[(Anonymous)]

I love the Master and Marguarita. Such an amazing book...

[herpymcderp]

I know right? I normally don't care for Christian imagery (or don't understand it because lol atheist upbringing) but it was just approachable and powerful enough that even dumb ol' me could "get" it.

[(Anonymous)]

GRRM rooted those books so deeply in the history he based it on that it's practically a historical novel, just with fantasy elements.

[(Anonymous)]

Interestingly, I'm the same about original fiction and the complete opposite about fanfic. All I really read is classic literature and modern literary fiction, because I can't seem to enjoy much else. I don't find other fiction entertaining or emotionally gratifying; I just pick it apart.

But when it comes to fanfic, as long as it has my OTP in it, and some UST, I will eat it up and love every minute. I do prefer a good plot and smart characterizations, but I'm really, really not picky. Just give me my OTP being desperately in love, and pining, and doing things together, and I am sold. It's like all the dopamine and whatever other chemicals my brain is supposed to secrete in little bits when I do something like read an entertaining sci-fi novel get bottled up and only pour out for my OTP.

[(Anonymous)]

I have this problem as well. I'm so hypercritical that I have a hard time enjoying most forms of media. Which isn't a great thing for an English major who has to read a lot.