Eddis, Attolia, Sounis

Oh, I love the idea that "it's difficult to bring them into the full light...and still keep them shady and sneaky"--yes! And you're right, Costis makes such a great foil to Gen (fencing pun not intended, but what the heck).

I'm going to have to watch the DVDs of Veronica Mars, I can tell.

I just reread QofA this afternoon. I had reread KofA, my favorite, many times, but I was so ripped up about the hand thing that it's taken me hanging out in this community to revisit QofA. Of course, it was wonderful!

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ninedaysaqueen.livejournal.com

Tehee... Thanks!

*may not be showing it but is giddy from talking to Kate Coombs*

Yes, please do! It's an excellent, clever, and witty show; and it's a shame more people don't know about it.

Veronica Mars is actually intended to be an updated version of Noir detective films, with Veronica being the arc-type of the hard-boiled, social isolated, and cynical detective, with the twist that she is a tiny, blond California girl. Some how it works, but if Gen ever has a daughter, she would be something like Veronica. I mean... read this...

NISH: What do you think?

The poster is in pink and green. At the top is the heading "Fall Rush." At the bottom of the crest is a ribbon banner with "Zeta Theta Beta" written on it. Under the crest is a photograph of the sisters of the sorority - all dressed in florals.

VERONICA: I think it's the gateway to hell, and I don't want to keep looking directly at it.

NISH: You wouldn't believe the rumors about what goes on in that house. I've been trying to find someone who could get inside Theta Beta during Rush Week.

VERONICA: And you want me to take pictures?

NISH: I want you to do the story. You are exactly the type they would love to have intelligent, cute...

VERONICA: Combative, independent-thinking, smart-mouthed. Believe me, I'm not their type.

NISH: You'd be perfect. Trust me Veronica, you'll blend right in.

Veronica doesn't move and is not convinced. Cut to a few moments later. Veronica is reading the sorority invitation: "Zeta Theta Beta cordially invites you to Fall Rush Social this Saturday. Dress code: tasteful floral dresses, beautiful personalities."

VERONICA: Tasteful floral dresses?

She lets out a sigh (of near relief at the prospect of not doing this).

VERONICA: All my florals are trampy.

You can watch it from the link below, though I would certainly direct you towards the DVDs if you can rent them. Oh, and fair warning, it can be a bit dark (a bit like QT), and I'd rate it PG-13 for language and innuendos.

http://www.freeonlineepisodes.net/category/veronica-mars/

The chop-chop scene seems to have done that for a lot of people, but I think it didn't effect me as much because I was jaded from having read The Riddle and Eldest, in which the main characters get maimed. QoA was actually refreshing.

...

I'm weird...

I'd say the QoA has the some of the deepest and most heart-wrenching emotions in the whole series. It's a roller-coaster that you can only ride so many times before you need a break.

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I will definitely check it out Veronica Mars--thanks for the link! I'm a big fan of Buffy the VS, which is just incredibly well written, and this has a similar tone, delightfully snarky.

Yeah, QofA is emotionally intense. It meant a lot more to me this time, since I've read KofA and could read between the lines.

Giddy, eh? You're so nice! :)

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hazelwillow.livejournal.com

This was so illuminating and fun, thanks!

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Glad you liked it, HW!

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Thank you! I love connections that span stories modern and ancient. And you reminded me of the Long Way from Chicago books. Yay!

Your last ideas about "is it moral?" are reminding me of Going Postal and how things turn out for Moist there (have you read it?).

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Forgive me for blabbing outside of the original thread but *gasp* are you a Discworld fan? I've been worshipping the ground beneath PTerry's feet for years.

Back to the trickster bit, the paragraph on the parallel between the tricksters and modern day geniuses is intriguing. Perhaps in this time and ages, we are more open to the "think outside the box" type of person?

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Your gasp is not unfounded. I am. *joins in worshipping ground* Yay!
I haven't read nearly enough of his books yet (only got started on them awhile ago), but I LOVE his writing and him so much. It's all so AMAZING AND AWESOME!

(I shall now direct you to something that took place a few months ago. You can skip past the Harry Potter and Phantom of the Opera ones -- I don't think they're as funny. The original post that I link to is also extremely hilarious.)

http://community.livejournal.com/sounis/316878.html

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magicsandwiches.livejournal.com

The awesome thing about both Terry Pratchett's books and Megan's books is that they are so totally quotable. When I read Soul Music, I felt like writing down almost every paragraph as a quote.

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filkferengi

You have kids. There is a video here: http://cgi.ebay.com/SOUL-MUSIC-TERRY-PRATCHETTS-DISCWORLD-VHS-VIDEOS-/120557455833?cmd=ViewItem&pt=VHS&hash=item1c11c8c9d9

and a dvd, here: http://product.half.ebay.com/Discworld-Soul-Music_W0QQtgZinfoQQprZ3358859

I sense a match being made.

;)

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Teenareena--Hmm, that's an interesting point. I think it's probably true at the broader cultural/societal level and in think tanks, but in a smaller setting, like a business meeting or a committee, I suspect most people tend to be irked by "outside the box" types and shut them down. I know that in organizations I've worked for, the status quo was worshipped ever-so-sincerely, with its own altar and everything.

Edited Date: 4/18/10 07:09 am (UTC)

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Oh, and Pratchett? I own every book he's every written! Just thinking about his books makes me laugh!!! I'm especially fond of The Wee Free Men, not because the plot is perfect, but so many things are, especially the WFM themselves. And characters like Granny Aching, Sam Vimes, and Death--just wonderful! My top three fantasy writers these days are MWT, Pratchett, and Diana Wynne Jones, an amazing triumverate.

Edited Date: 4/18/10 07:10 am (UTC)

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Agh_4: Thanks for the link, I'll go there at the speed of darkness.
I also love both his works and himself. I actually cried when I read his open letter on euthanasia.

magicsandwiches: Couldn't agree more! There's little gems everywhere.

katecoombs: I agreed with your thought on smaller setting. New ideas often got chomped down and ridicule. However, when the trickster truly shine, people really loved them. Like Google and Apple or eBay.

Could I add Granny Weatherwax and Lord Vetinari to the list of greatest characters? And I shall set up an altar a la your triumverate. What would happen to the world if Gen, Howl and Moist team up? If Chrestomanci ran into one of UU wizards? If Lord Vetinari started a chess game with Attolia?

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Teenareena--Oh, I meant Granny Weatherwax! (It's way past my bedtime.) Right, and Lord Vetinari; so cool how Pratchett takes the evil regent/tyrant type and makes him appealing in his own way. And let's not forget oddments like Gaspode the talking dog and Greebo. You're so right: happily, tricksters do sometimes shine. Excellent examples. In a chess game with Gen and Howl, Gen would steal pieces and Howl would cheat using magic. But I can't think who would win betweeen Attolia and Lord Vetinari... Chrestomanci would kick a UU wizard's butt, though, or maybe just distract him with BBQ'd chicken wings. As for the altar, the real question is what to put on it by way of an offering to the gods of fantasy--besides stolen earrings, that is.

Edited Date: 4/18/10 07:52 am (UTC)

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Agh 4--Richard Peck is a genius; definitely yay!

I read Going Postal, but I can't remember what was up with Moist and "is it moral." I'll have to take another look. (I do know Pratchett has cool things to say about the human condition, even as he's being really, really funny!)

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Weeell, I guess it's not so much "is it moral?" ... It's more like he realizes that he's not helping anyone or himself by swindling people left and right, always changing his name and never making connections.

That would be the most intense game of chess ever. It would probably last for several months. Although -- I can imagine Vetinari letting Attolia win if he knew he'd get something out of it. Maybe?

I would suggest leaving orange peels on the altar, because it works with Diana Wynne Jones (the ones in The Year of the Griffin) and, of course, The Queen of Attolia. I don't know what we could leave for Terry Pratchett...

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@Kate : O yeah, Gen and Howl would definitely cheat.

We could leave banana on the altar for pratchett. Gaudy looking clothing item could work for Chrestomanci, Howl and Gen altogether.

@Agh: I've read your Discworld version of Queen's Thief. Hilarious!
Also, the twilight version in the post you dug up. Such a super-duper awesome glittery shiny parody.

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Aahahahahaha!

Thanks! And the Twilight one! That's the one with the "scintillating arms," isn't it?!

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Agh, where can I find your Discworld version of Queen's Thief?

Edited Date: 4/20/10 12:10 am (UTC)

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Here's the link for Agh's Discworld take on Queen's Thief.

http://community.livejournal.com/sounis/316878.html

Be sure to check out the original post as well, the Twilight is twinkly hilarious.

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Oh, thank you! I read all of them and laughed my head off!

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magicsandwiches.livejournal.com

Ha! I just read your review of CofK on Amazon earlier today and wondered if you were a member of Sounis. I read all your listmania lists and a bunch of your reviews and darn, I wish my library had more of your recommendations (it's slightly bigger than a postage stamp, but the librarians are wonderful magical people so I have a hard time dissing it).

Cool blogpost. I enjoyed reading it a lot. Gen is a really interesting version of Trickster, isn't he? His motivations don't seem to be those of a Trickster, but his methods certainly are!

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Thanks, Kim! I just discovered Sounis and am basking! You know, Gen has all the standard qualities of a Trickster, but he's somehow more moral than the others. Well, compare him to his namesake god, even. I guess his loyalty makes a difference, and he has integrity, despite his willingness to lie at the drop of a hat. It's like Eddis tries to explain to Attolia near the end of QofA, that when Gen does want to tell the truth, he makes it clear and he really commits himself to that truth. Motivations vs. methods is a nice distinction.

Dissing libraries is like kicking puppies, so it's a practice you are wise to avoid, but I wish for your sake yours was a little bigger!

Edited Date: 4/18/10 07:12 am (UTC)

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magicsandwiches.livejournal.com

It's especially interesting considering how seldom he actually straight-out lies. He's so good at misleading people they don't see the truth in his words.

(is it sad that I get all fangirly writing even two sentences about him?)

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Kim--Makes sense to me! (The fangirly part.) Gen's such a great character that I smile every time I think of him. There are only couple of other characters (or books) that do that to me in my literary life.

Gen does make sneaky seem effortless. Half the time he gets what he wants by not saying anything at all. Other times he riles people up for his own purposes. Etc.! (I sense a pie chart coming on...)

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filkferengi

Excellent analysis & list; thanks for sharing the love!

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