So I spent way more time than I probably should have thinking about this, and then decided to write a loooong post about my thoughts. If you're not interested in listening (well, technically reading) to me ramble, feel free to ignore.
1. Shipping
Okay, so despite previously being one of the most vocal Alex/Anna shippers here...I actually chose "someone else." I apologize for my betrayal, but I really don't ship them anymore. And I think it's because their relationship is just too unequal and always will be.
I like Anna, a lot. But when it comes to Alex, she's a follower. The only time she wasn't a follower was that one time in Deathly Regiment she chewed Alex out for being a crappy friend. On reflection, I actually think their relationship had a chance to be more equal after that--until Anna told the Confederation Alex was meeting with Abraham, which totally reversed that development and made Anna into more of a follower than ever. She showed no sign of growing out of that in Book 4; she developed some Deadpan Snarker tendencies, true, but she still basically did everything Alex wanted her to do without question.
So to pull my vague thoughts together: I think if they got together it'd be cute. But at this point I don't think they'll ever grow out of this messed-up power dynamic. So a romantic relationship would end up being really unhealthy for the both of them IMO. They work much better as friends.
Who am I shipping Alex with, you ask? Well, for guys it's Johnny, who ended up being really awesome (seriously, he took on Dark Wizards with rocks and won). For girls...
...Angelique. I know, I feel bad about it, and it started off as a joke, but I kind of really want to see it now! I don't even know why! *buries head in hands*
2. Favorite/Least Favorite Book
I spent way too much time thinking about this, especially since it didn't really matter.
First, a disclaimer: Since I was a beta reader for book 4 (and only for book 4), I experienced that book in a much different way than the others. Not only in terms of being able to control when I read the chapters and seeing them in an unfinished state (though both are important), but in order to give effective comments I had to read the chapters with a much more critical eye than I did the other books. Therefore, I'm probably judging book 4 more harshly than it really deserves.
Deathly Regiment has some problems with pacing (nothing really happens in chapters 10-14) and having too many subplots. But it has a strong plot, Alex trying to resurrect Max, almost from the beginning to the end. Both Alex and Anna go through a lot of character development, and a lot of emotionally compelling events happen. And the Deathly Regiment revelation is inspired.
Lands Below and Stars Above are really close in quality level. The odd thing is they shouldn't be; overall, I think Stars Above is actually much better-written. But the climax of Lands Below is much better--the climax of Stars Above is probably the worst of all the books. Let me explain...in the next post! Yeah, I'm nowhere near done.
I ship Anna and Alex. Why? because of everyone, of all of her friends, Anna matters most. It's cruel to say that, but everyone else (of her friends) she's been there, repeatedly. She's been persistant and caring and I'm pretty sure that if not for her efforts, everyone else would have left her by now. Anna is the one who keeps reaching out and holding on, even when Alex would push everyone away... Someone else commented that she was a follower... Nah. Anna simply knows that Alex is a leader and can't be lead herself. Can't rely on others. So she's worked to put herself, and her others in a position where Alex CAN turn to them and ask for help. and.. she's succeeded. When Alex has had to go against the trust of her friends, it's most often Anna she thinks about, and it's Anna she worries about. Anna reminds me of a lot of Oriental families I know... where the "man" is the head of household, while the woman quietly controls her husband :3
Though secondarily, Alex and Brian would be cute together one day <3 <3 but right NOW, Brian doesn't have enough play in the series. --at current state, I could see her ending being heading back to Larkin Mills after a long battle and Brian being kind to her.. and... kind of a blooming hope sort of thing before the cover of the last book closed... but he also would make a good 'sacrifice' to the book gods... a character who the audience and main character cares about, but the audience is not deeply emotionally tied into.
Anyway, I picked deathly or lands for favorite, I think. Don't quite remember. Stars didn't get my winning vote simply because I didn't enjoy the pacing at the end so much. all of the stuff out in the desert was exciting and thrilling.... then she came home, was paranoid for a while (which I loved) and then suddenly, plot climax out of left field. I was kinda left going "wait, it's over?" which removed some of the fun for me from the book. Plus, I loved Max <3 The difference might be the difference between a complete book I read over a few days sitting, and a book I started reading 'in progress' and had to wait for several weeks to see the conclusions of. WHile the later is of course VERY exciting, it's a lot harder to become fully invested in a story that way..... I maybe have to go reread in a little bit. :D
for least fave I think I chose thorn circle, but I wonder if I should take that back... thorn circle as a lot of fun for me also because it was the first step. it had all of the magic in it. just like the first few chapters of harry potter, Alexandra at he pond, with the kappa, learning the ins and out of magical school was thrilling. I LOVE the 'discovery' in such stories. Hearkens back, I expect, to my increasingly dwindling hope that an owl will knock on my window some day and go "hi! I know you're nearly 30, but COME TO our MAGIC school and learn how special you REALLY are!" :)
as for endings... well, it does depend on how things keep going. The one difference between Alexandra and Harry is that Harry had Voldemort. a very clear and simple enemy. Alex... does not have an enemy with a face. She fights against the very nature of fate itself, it seems. (there are bad guys with faces, but none of them are "Voldemort") ... thus, i'ts hard to get a feeling for how things 'will' end... So, I think I default to the idea that this is not a story where everyone is doomed. This is not a story where everyone except alex/anna/whatever dies. I COULD see it being a story where Alex dies.... but I don't think so. will someone die? very possibly. Will people be hurt? possibly disfigured? Oh, yes. I think that very much as a possibility. ... but I think the over all tone of the ending will be "we won!" .. but not happily ever after. :C I dunno, I'm rambling :)
AH. I remember. I'm supposed to ask you why John didn't fear the circle of protection around Alex. I missed that, or don't remember it being addressed in the book.
Alex/Anna would be nice, but it is being continually Jossed. Alex always kisses her friends ON THE CHEEK. A cheek kiss is always friendly; a tongue kiss is always sexy; a lips kiss could go either way; a kiss with no geographical location stated could go either way and let the Audience imagine what they will.
Geming said Alex/Anna friendship was a good thing because Anna needs to be more troublesome and Alex needs to be less troublesome. But it hain't happened. The Story needs troublesome students, because obedient students hain't a story. If Alex/Anna balanced each other, then there would still be enough troublesome to drive the story.
Stars Above, Alex was TOO brattish. Ifn I had been Grimm, I would have expelled Alex in chapter 1.
In terms of Shipping, I'd probably say that Alex/Brian has the most going for it right now, but of course things could change.
As for books, my Fav/Least Fav are Stars Above And Thorn Circle respectively.
I think Stars Above had the fastest pace and the most energy, and while I certainly liked Thorn Circle, it seemed to be mirroring the plot of Philosophers Stone a bit too much.
As for the ending, I'm expecting something between Bittersweet Ending and Earn Your Happy Ending.
Finally, can I just say how hilarious it is that people seem to think that GIANT ROBOT BATTLES!!! seems MORE likely than Rocks Fall Everyone dies.
Late to the party. I like Anna/Brian because I like Brian basically as the 'Xander' character, basically, the normie who helped save the world. My first Xander even before Xander existed was Cyper in the Marvel Universe (Mutant Power: speak and understand any language).
I've also always loved the idea of a happy Muggle/Witch pairing.
So yes, my choices are all about my personal passions.
First time posting on your Live Journal, I powered through the books in about a week this summer because sleep and productive activity are for losers who don't have access to such awesome fanfic, And also because I was sort of in a fugue state this summer where all there was to do was put together med school applications. Anyway, on the subject of shipping, I favor Larry for three main reasons. 1. He is one of my favorite characters in the story and represents one of my favorite archtypes. 2. He's roughly equal with Alex in power and is one of the few who doesn't take shit from her. 3. Alexandra's personality seems like it would be really well-suited to a dark, angry, destructive romance (I'm picturing something like Spike/Buffy but with less annoying double standards) and that's more or less what I picture a Larry/Alex pairing as.
As for the ending none of the categories really fit my preference, but the closest would probably be EPIC GIANT ROBOTS BATTLE! Ever since I realized that a) Abraham Thorn has a wide array of similarities with Julius Caesar and b) Alexandra shares names with Alexander the Great and Gaius Octavian I've been kind of hoping for a fantastic retelling of the end of the Roman Republic, concluding with Alexandra proclaiming herself Consul-for-Life and First Citizen of the new American Empire from atop a throne built from Generous One Bones (If this is not what is going to happen, there is no need to dissuade me from my Happy fantasies). Maybe Medea could play the role of Mark Antony. As for what I acually expect to happen, Alexandra's death has been so heavily foreshadowed that I actually am expecting the story to end with the death of the hero (for realsies, not a cop-out like Deathly Hallows)
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inverarity) wrote2012-06-07 10:58 am
Talkity talk talk
1. Shipping
Okay, so despite previously being one of the most vocal Alex/Anna shippers here...I actually chose "someone else." I apologize for my betrayal, but I really don't ship them anymore. And I think it's because their relationship is just too unequal and always will be.
I like Anna, a lot. But when it comes to Alex, she's a follower. The only time she wasn't a follower was that one time in Deathly Regiment she chewed Alex out for being a crappy friend. On reflection, I actually think their relationship had a chance to be more equal after that--until Anna told the Confederation Alex was meeting with Abraham, which totally reversed that development and made Anna into more of a follower than ever. She showed no sign of growing out of that in Book 4; she developed some Deadpan Snarker tendencies, true, but she still basically did everything Alex wanted her to do without question.
So to pull my vague thoughts together: I think if they got together it'd be cute. But at this point I don't think they'll ever grow out of this messed-up power dynamic. So a romantic relationship would end up being really unhealthy for the both of them IMO. They work much better as friends.
Who am I shipping Alex with, you ask? Well, for guys it's Johnny, who ended up being really awesome (seriously, he took on Dark Wizards with rocks and won). For girls...
...Angelique. I know, I feel bad about it, and it started off as a joke, but I kind of really want to see it now! I don't even know why! *buries head in hands*
2. Favorite/Least Favorite Book
I spent way too much time thinking about this, especially since it didn't really matter.
First, a disclaimer: Since I was a beta reader for book 4 (and only for book 4), I experienced that book in a much different way than the others. Not only in terms of being able to control when I read the chapters and seeing them in an unfinished state (though both are important), but in order to give effective comments I had to read the chapters with a much more critical eye than I did the other books. Therefore, I'm probably judging book 4 more harshly than it really deserves.
That said, my order of favorites is probably:
1. Deathly Regiment
2. (tied) Lands Below; Stars Above
4. Thorn Circle
Deathly Regiment has some problems with pacing (nothing really happens in chapters 10-14) and having too many subplots. But it has a strong plot, Alex trying to resurrect Max, almost from the beginning to the end. Both Alex and Anna go through a lot of character development, and a lot of emotionally compelling events happen. And the Deathly Regiment revelation is inspired.
Lands Below and Stars Above are really close in quality level. The odd thing is they shouldn't be; overall, I think Stars Above is actually much better-written. But the climax of Lands Below is much better--the climax of Stars Above is probably the worst of all the books. Let me explain...in the next post! Yeah, I'm nowhere near done.
Re: Talkity talk talk
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Though secondarily, Alex and Brian would be cute together one day <3 <3 but right NOW, Brian doesn't have enough play in the series. --at current state, I could see her ending being heading back to Larkin Mills after a long battle and Brian being kind to her.. and... kind of a blooming hope sort of thing before the cover of the last book closed... but he also would make a good 'sacrifice' to the book gods... a character who the audience and main character cares about, but the audience is not deeply emotionally tied into.
Anyway, I picked deathly or lands for favorite, I think. Don't quite remember. Stars didn't get my winning vote simply because I didn't enjoy the pacing at the end so much. all of the stuff out in the desert was exciting and thrilling.... then she came home, was paranoid for a while (which I loved) and then suddenly, plot climax out of left field. I was kinda left going "wait, it's over?" which removed some of the fun for me from the book. Plus, I loved Max <3 The difference might be the difference between a complete book I read over a few days sitting, and a book I started reading 'in progress' and had to wait for several weeks to see the conclusions of. WHile the later is of course VERY exciting, it's a lot harder to become fully invested in a story that way..... I maybe have to go reread in a little bit. :D
for least fave I think I chose thorn circle, but I wonder if I should take that back... thorn circle as a lot of fun for me also because it was the first step. it had all of the magic in it. just like the first few chapters of harry potter, Alexandra at he pond, with the kappa, learning the ins and out of magical school was thrilling. I LOVE the 'discovery' in such stories. Hearkens back, I expect, to my increasingly dwindling hope that an owl will knock on my window some day and go "hi! I know you're nearly 30, but COME TO our MAGIC school and learn how special you REALLY are!" :)
as for endings... well, it does depend on how things keep going. The one difference between Alexandra and Harry is that Harry had Voldemort. a very clear and simple enemy. Alex... does not have an enemy with a face. She fights against the very nature of fate itself, it seems. (there are bad guys with faces, but none of them are "Voldemort") ... thus, i'ts hard to get a feeling for how things 'will' end... So, I think I default to the idea that this is not a story where everyone is doomed. This is not a story where everyone except alex/anna/whatever dies. I COULD see it being a story where Alex dies.... but I don't think so. will someone die? very possibly. Will people be hurt? possibly disfigured? Oh, yes. I think that very much as a possibility. ... but I think the over all tone of the ending will be "we won!" .. but not happily ever after. :C I dunno, I'm rambling :)
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Favourite is The Lands Below.
Least would be Thorn Circle, but I actually do like it. Just the least out of them all.
And Robots!
Yeah, mostly.
Re: Yeah, mostly.
Re: Yeah, mostly.
Re: Yeah, mostly.
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safe/stress-free travels :]
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(Anonymous) - 2012-06-08 12:04 (UTC) - Expand(no subject)
The Circle of Protection
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Geming said Alex/Anna friendship was a good thing because Anna needs to be more troublesome and Alex needs to be less troublesome. But it hain't happened. The Story needs troublesome students, because obedient students hain't a story. If Alex/Anna balanced each other, then there would still be enough troublesome to drive the story.
Stars Above, Alex was TOO brattish. Ifn I had been Grimm, I would have expelled Alex in chapter 1.
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(Anonymous) - 2012-06-10 09:07 (UTC) - Expand(no subject)
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(Anonymous) 2012-06-10 04:12 am (UTC)(link)As for books, my Fav/Least Fav are Stars Above And Thorn Circle respectively.
I think Stars Above had the fastest pace and the most energy, and while I certainly liked Thorn Circle, it seemed to be mirroring the plot of Philosophers Stone a bit too much.
As for the ending, I'm expecting something between Bittersweet Ending and Earn Your Happy Ending.
Finally, can I just say how hilarious it is that people seem to think that GIANT ROBOT BATTLES!!! seems MORE likely than Rocks Fall Everyone dies.
Alex: ALEX TRANSFORM TO: SUPER GIGA MECHA ALEX!!
Dean Grimm: (*Has an Aneurysm*)
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I've also always loved the idea of a happy Muggle/Witch pairing.
So yes, my choices are all about my personal passions.
Favorite Book: Deathly Regiment
Least Favorite: Thorn Circle
Shipping/Ending
Anyway, on the subject of shipping, I favor Larry for three main reasons.
1. He is one of my favorite characters in the story and represents one of my favorite archtypes.
2. He's roughly equal with Alex in power and is one of the few who doesn't take shit from her.
3. Alexandra's personality seems like it would be really well-suited to a dark, angry, destructive romance (I'm picturing something like Spike/Buffy but with less annoying double standards) and that's more or less what I picture a Larry/Alex pairing as.
As for the ending none of the categories really fit my preference, but the closest would probably be EPIC GIANT ROBOTS BATTLE! Ever since I realized that a) Abraham Thorn has a wide array of similarities with Julius Caesar and b) Alexandra shares names with Alexander the Great and Gaius Octavian I've been kind of hoping for a fantastic retelling of the end of the Roman Republic, concluding with Alexandra proclaiming herself Consul-for-Life and First Citizen of the new American Empire from atop a throne built from Generous One Bones (If this is not what is going to happen, there is no need to dissuade me from my Happy fantasies). Maybe Medea could play the role of Mark Antony. As for what I acually expect to happen, Alexandra's death has been so heavily foreshadowed that I actually am expecting the story to end with the death of the hero (for realsies, not a cop-out like Deathly Hallows)