Serious rec: Blood and Brimstone
Nov. 4th, 2009 02:08 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
blamebramptonLast week I gave a quick drive-by rec for Blood and Brimstone at ![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-community.gif)
hd_career_fair . I said I would write a longer one over the weekend, as I had not read the story since it was an unfinished draft. Now, those of you who know me probably thought: 'Well, she is a dreadful slacker, and she was off gallivanting with the Goths and the baby shower folk, of course she was going to be tardy ...'
But in fact, I did open up the story on the weekend. And then I had the most appalling dilemma. Because on the one hand, I wanted to do nothing but sit and read it until I was done, and then sit and read it again. But on the other hand, it is only 42,000 words long and once they're read, they're read and that whole first-read passion is spent. So I stopped myself, and walked away. And then I came back, and went away, and came back ... until I was too greedy and guzzled the last section in a rush.
It is so good. It is so good that I want to shake the writer and make him or her stop working and just write. (I do know the author, but for those of you guessing, that won't help much as I think I know somewhere around half the authors for this fest).
As I mentioned last time, it is set in Ginn Hale's Wicked Gentlemen world, but this is not required reading. I've not read WG at all, and yet had no problems understanding what was happening *. Harry Potter is a lowly ranked Inquisitor who is sent to discuss distasteful rumours with the wealthy Malfoy family. It should be another banal commission in a career of drudgery and mild oppression, but instead, it is the step that shifts his life from ordered if tedious, to revolutionary and endangered.
Set in a world where Prodigals, the fallen angels created in the image of God, are both free to walk the earth and kept in their 'place' by a vengeful and Inquisitory church, Blood and Brimstone can be read as an analogy for the Spanish Inquisition, or the appalling treatment of underclasses in today's wealthy nations, or the viciousness of a Ministry that sends Dolores Umbridge into a school of children. As I say, WG is not required reading (though I am sure it adds yet more richness), but neither is Harry Potter -- this story is strong enough to stand as a unit by itself. However, for those who love the Potterverse, the characters retain integrity and are used in fascinating ways to illuminate canonical issues through their new settings.
It's awfully late and my brain did melt around lunchtime today, so this is not the coherent and erudite review this story deserves. It is, however, a heartfelt recommendation that if you are doing anything less urgent than giving birth, you make time in your schedule this week to read it. I do not think that it is possible you will feel your time misspent.
* I am now in the frustrating position of not knowing if I want to read WG, because I feel it will add layers to my appreciation of B&B, or not read it because I cannot imagine loving it as much. I'll probably read it on the basis that nice authors deserve royalties ;-)
hd_career_fair . I said I would write a longer one over the weekend, as I had not read the story since it was an unfinished draft. Now, those of you who know me probably thought: 'Well, she is a dreadful slacker, and she was off gallivanting with the Goths and the baby shower folk, of course she was going to be tardy ...'But in fact, I did open up the story on the weekend. And then I had the most appalling dilemma. Because on the one hand, I wanted to do nothing but sit and read it until I was done, and then sit and read it again. But on the other hand, it is only 42,000 words long and once they're read, they're read and that whole first-read passion is spent. So I stopped myself, and walked away. And then I came back, and went away, and came back ... until I was too greedy and guzzled the last section in a rush.
It is so good. It is so good that I want to shake the writer and make him or her stop working and just write. (I do know the author, but for those of you guessing, that won't help much as I think I know somewhere around half the authors for this fest).
As I mentioned last time, it is set in Ginn Hale's Wicked Gentlemen world, but this is not required reading. I've not read WG at all, and yet had no problems understanding what was happening *. Harry Potter is a lowly ranked Inquisitor who is sent to discuss distasteful rumours with the wealthy Malfoy family. It should be another banal commission in a career of drudgery and mild oppression, but instead, it is the step that shifts his life from ordered if tedious, to revolutionary and endangered.
Set in a world where Prodigals, the fallen angels created in the image of God, are both free to walk the earth and kept in their 'place' by a vengeful and Inquisitory church, Blood and Brimstone can be read as an analogy for the Spanish Inquisition, or the appalling treatment of underclasses in today's wealthy nations, or the viciousness of a Ministry that sends Dolores Umbridge into a school of children. As I say, WG is not required reading (though I am sure it adds yet more richness), but neither is Harry Potter -- this story is strong enough to stand as a unit by itself. However, for those who love the Potterverse, the characters retain integrity and are used in fascinating ways to illuminate canonical issues through their new settings.
It's awfully late and my brain did melt around lunchtime today, so this is not the coherent and erudite review this story deserves. It is, however, a heartfelt recommendation that if you are doing anything less urgent than giving birth, you make time in your schedule this week to read it. I do not think that it is possible you will feel your time misspent.
* I am now in the frustrating position of not knowing if I want to read WG, because I feel it will add layers to my appreciation of B&B, or not read it because I cannot imagine loving it as much. I'll probably read it on the basis that nice authors deserve royalties ;-)
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no subject
Date: 2009-11-03 03:55 pm (UTC)So good! And it takes care of the issues that I've found with WG (I read it—IMHO, this story is superior, and not by a small margin. Sorry Ms Hale. Although, of course, having the Potter folks get LOADS of cookie points ;) ). I'm planning to write a long review for this story too when I'm done—if not as good (you write AWESOME reviews), as sincere as this one I hope.
I've made my guess of the author on the fest—my instinct has been screaming so much on this one that I can't ignore it. People are going to think I'm crazy if I'm wrong, but oh well. I think most people think I'm crazy anyways! :D
no subject
Date: 2009-11-03 04:00 pm (UTC)There is currently the most ENORMOUS huntsman spider in my bathroom running across the ceiling and down the walls. He is very active and agitated, so I can't catch him, I don't want to kill him, but I don't want to have a shower and possibly accidentally drown him or have him drop on my head. Thus this comment is brought to you by me on the sofa in a towel waiting to go back into the bathroom after the spider has had a chance to hide. Good grief!
no subject
Date: 2009-11-03 04:07 pm (UTC)(And so ... you're in a towel when you write me this? Mmmm. Sound sexy. Are you seducing me from half a globe away?)
no subject
Date: 2009-11-03 04:35 pm (UTC)Huntsmen are actually very sweet, but they panic a bit when caught in the open. We have a simple arrangement with the spiders here: they do not freak me out or land on me, I do not kill them. The few poisonous ones are dealt with more harshly ;-)
no subject
Date: 2009-11-03 06:13 pm (UTC)Spiders are all right. I don't like them scaring me, but I don't see them as terrible creatures either :). Rats I'm almost okay with, given I see them so often here. Cockroaches, on the other hand .... the fat, flying ones. ICK.
I need to visit Australia and New Zealand one day. Never been there. Actually, I want to travel everywhere. See the world. Learn lots. Get lost somewhere. Buy overpriced items.
Meet someone cute. :)))))no subject
Date: 2009-11-03 08:26 pm (UTC)May I say
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Date: 2009-11-04 06:43 am (UTC)*iz very intrigued and having a ton of fun guessing!*
no subject
Date: 2009-11-04 06:58 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-11-04 07:05 am (UTC)Everyone has their style of responding. Mmm, Cal's smileys are often on their own separate line. Impersonation is an artform *nods*.
Hee hee, whoever Anonymous is, I feel she's someone who's all right with my crazy ways and I can send her my ♥ and huggles!!! :) And Smiley Faces!! And I'm talking and acting like a 11 year old!!!!!!!!! :DDDD (<---have too much icecream and is on a giddy sugar high)
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Date: 2009-11-04 07:07 am (UTC)And yes, s/he is a kind soul who understands these things!
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Date: 2009-11-04 07:11 am (UTC)*goes repair data ... sigh*
no subject
Date: 2009-11-03 04:56 pm (UTC)It is so good. It is so good that I want to shake the writer and make him or her stop working and just write.
Yes, and yes, and yes!
♥
no subject
Date: 2009-11-03 05:00 pm (UTC)And now I know exactly what is next on my list! (After a good sleep ...)
no subject
Date: 2009-11-03 08:20 pm (UTC)What? Finding a crocodile to hold?
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Date: 2009-11-03 08:28 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-11-03 08:33 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-11-03 08:42 pm (UTC)Thanks for the encouragement though!
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Date: 2009-11-04 07:00 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-11-04 06:59 am (UTC)I was referring to another fic, but I also need to go and check out a stack of art. ARGH! NEED MORE HOURS IN DAY! (And I have just realised that I will be leaving here in four and a half weeks and have not organised anything beyond a pick-up at the airport. Oh dear ...)
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Date: 2009-11-03 07:15 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-11-04 07:01 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-11-03 08:11 pm (UTC)I have read WG and I loved it. It was also far too short for such a brilliant world. Ginn Hale is working on a sequel, which is very good news. But Blood and Brimstone? Wow.
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Date: 2009-11-04 07:03 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-11-03 08:24 pm (UTC)I'm thrilled you liked it - as with many of the commenters, yours is an opinion I value a great deal.
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Date: 2009-11-04 07:02 am (UTC)And you love me for my glorious hair, I know ...
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Date: 2009-11-04 05:48 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-11-04 07:03 am (UTC)