With all the focus on Grim in these recent chapters, I realized something. What has Isla actually brought to either of her relationships with her love interests? We see them save her constantly, shower her in complements etc, but she has yet to properly put effort of her own into either relationship, so it all feels really hollow. I hope this makes sense
Grim just powering through traps sounds like the premise of a fantasy comedy bit that should only end with him Kool-Aid Manning into the treasure room.
The clumsy politics and weird time delays remind me a whole lot of my own struggles. I knew that princesses probably had to do, you know, ruling stuff -- but I had no idea what, so "I'm going to impose democracy on you!" would have suited me fine. And somehow accomplished authors managed to space out their plot beats so that it took up more time, but I had no idea how they did that, so I'd just let my characters loaf around for two weeks for no reason. What I'm saying is that this writing sounds a whole lot like mine did when I was 15 and learning how to write stories.
The whole Grim (Isla) suffers makes him (her) stronger is the very bad not good narrative that being traumatized (or a survivor of a terrible situation) makes you “virtuous, stronger, and destined higher purpose” and totally not told to survivors to their face in real life to “comfort” them that their suffering had “meaning” when just acknowledging that the situation was f*cked up, undeserved, just plain traumatizing, and giving your support to the person is enough. Bonus Points if this is used to invalidate Oro’s feelings and pain cause he didn’t (manly) suffer enough, didn’t become “(manly) strong” through (manly) suffering, and called either weak or a “bad survivor” by not becoming a (manly) “strong survivor.”
I really hate when hurt/comfort is used in this book, because those scenes of Isla being overpowered by someone else makes no sense when she was zooming and cruising through every physical obstacle/challenge in the first book. But suddenly when a guy has her in his grasp, she's suddenly she forgot how to defend herself? All those arm-dislocating training never happened?
No Silly Julian Greystoke you see Isla introducing democracy to the Starling is a good thing in the narrative cause Isla is the one doing it, but the narrative dumps on the Skylings’ democracy cause it goes against Isla’s goals.
Noooo, I was hoping Soren was just a guy with a bad attitude. Just because somebody speaks straightforward doesn't mean they are evil - something I'm understanding with hotheaded characters in stories.
Watching these read alongs, and I can see the literal moments this book tries to break you. It is such a frustratingly stupid book and I am only listing as you read it. I can not imagine how painful it must be to read. You do us all a great service. Also I have not stopped laughing at their at that strategic strategy line. That broke me🤣
27:23 grimdaddy 😅 I don’t know why, but it sounds funny. 34:05 it’s sad that the amount of subscribers and money you can get from books like this can help with publishing and not how good the plot is, I wonder if a good plot is relevant in any way, shape or form in books nowadays, I don’t say it doesn’t, but it doesn’t look like it with books like this. 37:19 I know it’s not related to what you said, but I like the color of the cup or whatever you hold here. 55:10 I think it’s like that because the characters can’t love and marry other people with the same genitalia as they have.
I'm not that savvy and I don't really do a lot of politics in my stories, but I do find it a bit of a shame when diplomacy is completely overlooked when it's actually so essential. So I agree that it's weird that they aren't trying to communicate with Grim and figure out how this conflict could be avoided. Granted, I guess, it is not a thing in many fantasy stories, so this is not just on Aster. They just want some sweet, sweet ✨battle✨. And it's obviously the least of this book's problems.
Late, I know. I just started watching these and I wanted to save myself from this book but came back for Julian's words of wisdom in bad writing. In the last video where Grim scooted across the floor to stand in front of Isla, I thought about the video about a bard being tied to a chair and they blew a horn as they scooted to make music. I feel like that should have been put in the last video and I can't stop thinking about it. It fits so well! 😂
26:20 oh yes, the best place to fight: between the main shopping area of the isle and the GODDAMN CASTLE WHERE (presumably) THE ROYALS LIVE nothing can go wrong. not a thing.
36:32 hey we finally got a comparisons between the rulers and the people.... and then it instantly ruin because of the "short cut" ss you or the book describe it. Damn it.
the more i watch your readalongs of alex's books the more i become just baffled how a woman in her late twenties can write like this. and im not talking about craft, I'm talking about ideas. like, a whole nation of bad bad totally bad drugs doing sex having people, grim repeatedly killing men in such proximity to isla that their dead bodies could very easily fall on top of her only because they DareD To ToUcH whaT Is HiS (and it being considered hot and desirable), main character who is the specialest special girl with every skill imaginable and so on and so forth it gives me flashbacks to human!bill cypher roleplays we did with my friends when i was a tween. the level of edginess and emotional hight that a young mind craves paired with still lacking sense of realistic-ness and good measure. but like, tweens don't need this sense in their stories bc its all in good fun. but alex is a published author.
This book legit sounds like the sort of thing I wrote as a middle-schooler. Like, if this were a book written by a 13 yo, I'd say we need to encourage this kid to keep reading and writing, there is real potential there, and they just need some years of practice and lots of words under their belt to be a properly good writer. Kind of a shame it's the published novel of a full-grown adult...
A Tale of 2 Wigs Part 7: I’m sure servants don’t have that many weapons on them. The group learns about a not so dead Sunling Ruler and his schemes. The whole group is in a dark circular room with a large round table in the center at Oro’s home. Oro and Grim are sitting next to each other giving each other lovesick gazes. Isla is bored utterly. Cleo is contemplating on whether she should separate Oro and Grim. Azul is just waiting fabulously for the meeting to start. Ino and Velnia are in the corner playing some kind of fake video game you see only in movies. Azul: Cleo can you start the meeting and tell me why you haven’t been coming to our game session. Velnia: What… kind of game… do you play? Azul: Board games and long form roleplay campaigns mostly. Ino: Pay attention Velnia or we’ll lost this Call of Fortfight game. Cleo: Alright since we are all here I shall begin the meeting. Wait a moment please. Cleo runs off and all the group can hear is Cleo dragging something with wheels. Cleo returns to the room with a large white board with a bunch of sticky notes, marker writings, and pictures on the board. Azul: Is this our next game session? Isla: Clearly Cleo has lost her mind. Grim: What scheme are you planning now Cleo? Ino: Ohhh you use sparkle ink. Cleo: Can you let me speak? Oro: Explain what you found Cleo. Cleo: You see I’ve been investigating for over a decade and after going through a whole bunch of things and to make a very long story very short. Egen Rey, who we thought was dead, is still very much not dead and plans on capturing us to regain his rule. Which is why I showed up at Isla’s house all bloodied and disheveled after Egen’s minions failed to capture me. Oro: Egen was murdered by Aurora after he cheated on her with Isla’s ancestor, Violet Crown, because it was both a political marriage and divorce wasn’t an option. Ino: So murder was the only option and fucked us all over for centuries. Grim: When you put it like that not-Celeste, yes. Ino: It’s Ino. Grim: I shall not bother with no-name beings. Azul: For Oro to be the Lightlark ruler Egen had to have been dead long enough for the power to transfer to Oro. So was Egen resurrected through magic or a benefactor saved Egen’s life? Cleo: Unknown. For now. Isla: Why would Egen not tell the world about it? Oro: If I were to surmise it would be because if Egen revealed how the curses were born or if someone figured that he is connected to the curses’ origins in some way he might be partly blamed for the circumstances that led Aurora to make the curse. So better to hide and just wait it out. Isla: We could have all died. Cleo: Many already died because of the curses on the day it happened and many days afterwards. Grim: This is great and all, but how should I care about this? Azul: Grim. Egen is seeking to capture us to rule over our people through the very fact if we die our people get taken out too. Grim: Well that is very inconvenient for us all. Ino: Yeah it’s really fucked up that my life is tied to a person who if they die I’m dead, but if I die who gives a shit. Oro: That is just the… Ino: THE WAY IT IS! Cause all you fucks just play with our lives and screw us over if multiple of yous decide to have a dramatic emotional tragedy that ruins the next few centuries with a curse that you all took your sweet time resolving! Isla: Do you resent me for being your ruler Ino? Ino: I’d be lying if I said I didn’t resent this situation Isla. Azul: It’s how we done things mostly. My people elected me to rule. Ino: And yet if you get captured by Egen your people’s will mean shit all. Velnia: I’m not connected… to any ruler’s life… so I can do… as I please... Cleo: What are you and where are you from Velnia? Velnia: I died as a baby and was resurrected by a blessing from the cosmic void… my connection with my ruler was severed completely and I became an independent being… that could eat magic itself... Cleo: So you can just kill us with no consequences on your part? Velnia: w3 4R3 Fr13Nd5. 1 w1Ll n0T H4rM 4Ny 0f Y0u. Except Grim. Isla: Well that’s good to know. Grim: Not for me. Azul: Uhhh. Everyone. Do you see these henchies? Grim: You sure these are not the servants? Azul: I’m sure servants don’t have that many weapons on them. Egen walks onto the scene looking smug and confident with a small regiment of henchies pointing their weapons at the group. Egen: Hello everyone. Nice to see you Cleo, Grim, Azul, Oro, and whoever you are Wildling ruler. Isla: It’s Isla. Egen: You’re not Violet so why should I care? Ino: You’re the fucker who just couldn’t divorce Aurora. Egen: It would have been costly. Azul: Totally not like the lives lost over the centuries. Egen: Irrelevant, but I’m back Oro. Oro: I mourned you! Egen: I’m disappointed that you aren’t happy Oro and that you married our enemy. Grim: Hello, I’m your brother-in-law. Egen: Charming. May I ask you to come along with me so the people can welcome their new ruler? Cleo: I rather die. Egen: And doom your people. Tssk. I thought you better than that Cleo. Oro: What happened to you Egen? Egen: I grew up Oro. I learned that people you trust will hurt you. I survived because Violet used her powers to resurrect me at the cost of her own life. Isla: Didn’t you cheat on Aurora? Egen: I thought Aurora would understand. Grim: You should have just killed Aurora and married Violet if you were so scared of the consequences of divorce my dear brother-in-law Egen. Speaking personally what my father did to my mother of course. Egen: I’m not a monster. I made sure Aurora was cared for. Azul: It was humiliating for her to see both her husband and best friend betray her. You weren’t very good at hiding the affair and everyone practically knew. Some even openly mocked her for “failing” as a wife. Egen: I didn’t know. Cleo: Of course you didn’t know anything you never talked to her. Who do you think she went to when she was feeling down? Egen: You couldn’t convince Aurora to not kill Violet. Azul: Well it was obviously a crime of passion and not planned so how could we do anything about it? Egen: It doesn’t matter if you two failed to keep Violet alive. I’ll bring her back using the blood and body of the current Wildling ruler to do so. Egen and his henchies grab the group except Ino and Velnia. Ino: Uhhh RUDE. Am I not worth kidnapping? Egen: NO. (He walks off) Ino: Come on Velnia. We got to help them. Velnia: How? I have deep… anxiety about… everything… Ino: Well we are the heroes no one wants or deserves, but off we go.
I suck at chapter titles, so I don't mess with it personally. You'd think it's not that hard, but I seem incapable of creating good ones. Idk. The thing is though, I quite chapter titles because sometimes when I pick up a book again, I don't necessarily want to reread the whole thing, but just revisit that one particular moment and then chapter titles are quite nice because they can give a bit of context. :D
Funnily enough, my plan is ALSO to drink a great deal of liquor to deal with this! So glad the brooding male love interest is #relatable. Edit: also all this "pain and trauma makes you stronger" bs is REALLY great motivation to work on planning my own story which is very much going to take that whole concept apart.
It's nice to hit the points where you rage quit and messaged me, fond memories. You could say like Grim you are choosing to continue with this stupid dungeon crawl of a book until you reach the end or you perish. In Cracked's After Hours the character slash actor of Sorin has a story where he explains his parents named him after Saurin. Thank you for this video I have not cleaned my kitchen in too long.
Was the logic behind Grim taking the brunt of all the traps due to him getting stronger after he feels pain? It's still stupid regardless, but I'm wondering if that was Alex's train of thought.
The nexus curse so far as I understand it isn't "one discrete power" so much as it is "the power of one realm", so Star/Shade babies would only have one set of powers, not both. Because of her flair, Isla is immune to Nexus, therefore able to access both power sets.
This book continues too ruin Cleo by claiming it wasn't her that made those harsh or not good or complicated decisions but an old man who was the real mastermind behind her behavior and governance. Like just let Cleo own up to making those decisions and not this half-hearted attempt to make Cleo "less bad" like with her random kid surprise. Like if Grim can be the "bad guy with complexity" Alex Aster should be able to do that with Cleo too without the need of an old man to dump her "bad decisions" onto. It's like Alex Aster doesn't know how to humanize or add complexity to Cleo so she just says "Look she has a kid and all the bad/harsh things about Moonling life and rule was just an old man along so Cleo is less bad now teehee," rather than just recontextualizing Cleo's actions by just showing more of Cleo's actual thoughts and motivations related to her politicking and personal belief system.
Isla is so annoying omg. This book has *some* good ideas but boy they sure are buried in a mountain of awful. also I feel like Lynx is almost trying to be Llyan from Prydain... but without all of the charm and interesting ideas. I would say it's kind of amazing that a giant cat who has a literal telepathic bond with the protagonist has less personality and relationship development than a regular non telepathic giant cat who doesn't even hang out with the main protagonist that often.... but this is Nightbane so I'm not surprised at all let alone amazed
Thank god I wasn't the only one who had an issue with the dragon cave traps and Grim's stupid idea of triggering all the traps, using himself as a shield. Like, I know they can't use magic but come on. Magic wasn't their only option here, especially since they made *multiple* trips to the cave. They could have used other things like actual shields or scouting the cave to figure out how to deal with the traps properly instead of just running directly into them. They could have taken her healing potions or whatever to help when they got injured so they didn't have to leave every single time. They had resources and choices. It made no sense.
Wow, I had to watch the last few minutes multiple times and I still don't understand what's going on with the flares and the powers and the curses and whatnot... Also, speaking of McGuffins, did I miss what happened to the egg thing in Book 1 (the heart of Lightlark or something)? I feel like we haven't heard anything about it in this book. Is it still around, or did it disappear? What about the door that's opened by Isla's crown? Does it matter anymore? Does any of it matter?? T_T
The egg and the heart are completely forgotten in this book. Of all the things she decided to forget about, she picked that over the gloves made of human skin...
Grim is definitely a definition of a broody boy. It's so demoralizing that the our female protagonist goes to do an important plot point by herself, but then is just instantly damsel-ed. She's not different or cool in a way that actually matters to her actions in the story. Such a missed opportunity and bummer. The bad guys doing the damseling are just nameless bad guys too, from the bad guy lands. Grim have 12 arrows in his body and he's still princess carrying her because she got 1 arrow in the leg. What! Aster, that's not how arrow wounds work, not at all! Oh man! Grim setting off all the traps to take the arrows and the pain being the only way they can think of to get through traps is sooooo silly! Clearly Aster has never played D&D or any other Tabletop RPG. It's so silly it seems like parody, but I don't think she's joking. ^_^;; Big ick about the self-harm gives you more magical strength, no that's a bad concept story and potentially dangerous . [Insert Steve Carrel as Micheal in the Office softly saying No]
12 arrows. 12?! Boromir is a hardcore badass for taking 3 arrows before he's killed... Where does one fit 12 arrows in a human body without damaging something life-sustaining? Either Grim is so very, very dead, or those arrows are as deadly as porcupine quills. Either way...no. I refuse to accept that Grim lived through 12 arrows. The man is dead, or those were not arrows.
This author struggles with writing war, battles, politics, etc. And she also doesn't enjoy writing these elements. She very obviously wants to write about the love story between Isla and Grim. So I don't understand why she had to include all of these comlex political issues and conflicts that she has put no effort researching, or even really thinking about. Just write the romance in fantasy world you want to write. Not every story needs to have world-ending stakes.
With all the focus on Grim in these recent chapters, I realized something. What has Isla actually brought to either of her relationships with her love interests? We see them save her constantly, shower her in complements etc, but she has yet to properly put effort of her own into either relationship, so it all feels really hollow. I hope this makes sense
Grim just powering through traps sounds like the premise of a fantasy comedy bit that should only end with him Kool-Aid Manning into the treasure room.
The clumsy politics and weird time delays remind me a whole lot of my own struggles. I knew that princesses probably had to do, you know, ruling stuff -- but I had no idea what, so "I'm going to impose democracy on you!" would have suited me fine. And somehow accomplished authors managed to space out their plot beats so that it took up more time, but I had no idea how they did that, so I'd just let my characters loaf around for two weeks for no reason. What I'm saying is that this writing sounds a whole lot like mine did when I was 15 and learning how to write stories.
50:22 hey wasn't her island littered with precious jewels? Why isn't she using those to buy stuff instead of stealing them?
The whole Grim (Isla) suffers makes him (her) stronger is the very bad not good narrative that being traumatized (or a survivor of a terrible situation) makes you “virtuous, stronger, and destined higher purpose” and totally not told to survivors to their face in real life to “comfort” them that their suffering had “meaning” when just acknowledging that the situation was f*cked up, undeserved, just plain traumatizing, and giving your support to the person is enough.
Bonus Points if this is used to invalidate Oro’s feelings and pain cause he didn’t (manly) suffer enough, didn’t become “(manly) strong” through (manly) suffering, and called either weak or a “bad survivor” by not becoming a (manly) “strong survivor.”
SHE FELT A HOWL OF PAIN IN HER LEG
If only it had been pain howled up her leg, we would've had a Moreci NOUN VERBed in their NOUN!
Giant cat with armor just sounds like Battle Cat from He Man to me.
31:00 I want books where the more self-care a character does, the stronger their power is
I really hate when hurt/comfort is used in this book, because those scenes of Isla being overpowered by someone else makes no sense when she was zooming and cruising through every physical obstacle/challenge in the first book. But suddenly when a guy has her in his grasp, she's suddenly she forgot how to defend herself? All those arm-dislocating training never happened?
Maeve and Valentine would have had the sword, solved the war, and already been home for tea by now...
“I don’t think there is a bingo square for that…” 😂
I’m so confused about this story. What is actually happening?
Nothing and everything at the same time!
No Silly Julian Greystoke you see Isla introducing democracy to the Starling is a good thing in the narrative cause Isla is the one doing it, but the narrative dumps on the Skylings’ democracy cause it goes against Isla’s goals.
Noooo, I was hoping Soren was just a guy with a bad attitude. Just because somebody speaks straightforward doesn't mean they are evil - something I'm understanding with hotheaded characters in stories.
sometimes armor is invinsible sometimes armor is made of cold bacon grease.
I wonder if Alex Aster would be better at writing novellas, given how she wants to be short with everything
Except she has 1000 ideas and feels the need to include ALL of them
Watching these read alongs, and I can see the literal moments this book tries to break you. It is such a frustratingly stupid book and I am only listing as you read it. I can not imagine how painful it must be to read. You do us all a great service.
Also I have not stopped laughing at their at that strategic strategy line. That broke me🤣
27:23 grimdaddy 😅 I don’t know why, but it sounds funny.
34:05 it’s sad that the amount of subscribers and money you can get from books like this can help with publishing and not how good the plot is, I wonder if a good plot is relevant in any way, shape or form in books nowadays, I don’t say it doesn’t, but it doesn’t look like it with books like this.
37:19 I know it’s not related to what you said, but I like the color of the cup or whatever you hold here.
55:10 I think it’s like that because the characters can’t love and marry other people with the same genitalia as they have.
If they’re not Percy Jackson chapter titles, I don’t want them
I'm not that savvy and I don't really do a lot of politics in my stories, but I do find it a bit of a shame when diplomacy is completely overlooked when it's actually so essential. So I agree that it's weird that they aren't trying to communicate with Grim and figure out how this conflict could be avoided. Granted, I guess, it is not a thing in many fantasy stories, so this is not just on Aster. They just want some sweet, sweet ✨battle✨. And it's obviously the least of this book's problems.
Late, I know. I just started watching these and I wanted to save myself from this book but came back for Julian's words of wisdom in bad writing. In the last video where Grim scooted across the floor to stand in front of Isla, I thought about the video about a bard being tied to a chair and they blew a horn as they scooted to make music. I feel like that should have been put in the last video and I can't stop thinking about it. It fits so well! 😂
26:20 oh yes, the best place to fight: between the main shopping area of the isle and the GODDAMN CASTLE WHERE (presumably) THE ROYALS LIVE
nothing can go wrong. not a thing.
36:32 hey we finally got a comparisons between the rulers and the people.... and then it instantly ruin because of the "short cut" ss you or the book describe it. Damn it.
Once more into the fray!
Brace for impact
Grim was just rolling crit 1 on purpose 😭
no matter how strongk i become I will apparently never be worthy of love.
julian prime how do you note have shadow girl special powers yet. its the final brain cell
Girls don't get shadow powers. Maybe death, but no shadows. I could also get lightning
the more i watch your readalongs of alex's books the more i become just baffled how a woman in her late twenties can write like this. and im not talking about craft, I'm talking about ideas. like, a whole nation of bad bad totally bad drugs doing sex having people, grim repeatedly killing men in such proximity to isla that their dead bodies could very easily fall on top of her only because they DareD To ToUcH whaT Is HiS (and it being considered hot and desirable), main character who is the specialest special girl with every skill imaginable and so on and so forth
it gives me flashbacks to human!bill cypher roleplays we did with my friends when i was a tween. the level of edginess and emotional hight that a young mind craves paired with still lacking sense of realistic-ness and good measure. but like, tweens don't need this sense in their stories bc its all in good fun. but alex is a published author.
There's much worse out there even by older men, what really bothers me is how little the major publishers really care anymore
This book legit sounds like the sort of thing I wrote as a middle-schooler. Like, if this were a book written by a 13 yo, I'd say we need to encourage this kid to keep reading and writing, there is real potential there, and they just need some years of practice and lots of words under their belt to be a properly good writer.
Kind of a shame it's the published novel of a full-grown adult...
It does really feel like her writing never got past her teen years for sure!
A Tale of 2 Wigs Part 7: I’m sure servants don’t have that many weapons on them.
The group learns about a not so dead Sunling Ruler and his schemes.
The whole group is in a dark circular room with a large round table in the center at Oro’s home. Oro and Grim are sitting next to each other giving each other lovesick gazes. Isla is bored utterly. Cleo is contemplating on whether she should separate Oro and Grim. Azul is just waiting fabulously for the meeting to start. Ino and Velnia are in the corner playing some kind of fake video game you see only in movies.
Azul: Cleo can you start the meeting and tell me why you haven’t been coming to our game session.
Velnia: What… kind of game… do you play?
Azul: Board games and long form roleplay campaigns mostly.
Ino: Pay attention Velnia or we’ll lost this Call of Fortfight game.
Cleo: Alright since we are all here I shall begin the meeting. Wait a moment please.
Cleo runs off and all the group can hear is Cleo dragging something with wheels. Cleo returns to the room with a large white board with a bunch of sticky notes, marker writings, and pictures on the board.
Azul: Is this our next game session?
Isla: Clearly Cleo has lost her mind.
Grim: What scheme are you planning now Cleo?
Ino: Ohhh you use sparkle ink.
Cleo: Can you let me speak?
Oro: Explain what you found Cleo.
Cleo: You see I’ve been investigating for over a decade and after going through a whole bunch of things and to make a very long story very short. Egen Rey, who we thought was dead, is still very much not dead and plans on capturing us to regain his rule. Which is why I showed up at Isla’s house all bloodied and disheveled after Egen’s minions failed to capture me.
Oro: Egen was murdered by Aurora after he cheated on her with Isla’s ancestor, Violet Crown, because it was both a political marriage and divorce wasn’t an option.
Ino: So murder was the only option and fucked us all over for centuries.
Grim: When you put it like that not-Celeste, yes.
Ino: It’s Ino.
Grim: I shall not bother with no-name beings.
Azul: For Oro to be the Lightlark ruler Egen had to have been dead long enough for the power to transfer to Oro. So was Egen resurrected through magic or a benefactor saved Egen’s life?
Cleo: Unknown. For now.
Isla: Why would Egen not tell the world about it?
Oro: If I were to surmise it would be because if Egen revealed how the curses were born or if someone figured that he is connected to the curses’ origins in some way he might be partly blamed for the circumstances that led Aurora to make the curse. So better to hide and just wait it out.
Isla: We could have all died.
Cleo: Many already died because of the curses on the day it happened and many days afterwards.
Grim: This is great and all, but how should I care about this?
Azul: Grim. Egen is seeking to capture us to rule over our people through the very fact if we die our people get taken out too.
Grim: Well that is very inconvenient for us all.
Ino: Yeah it’s really fucked up that my life is tied to a person who if they die I’m dead, but if I die who gives a shit.
Oro: That is just the…
Ino: THE WAY IT IS! Cause all you fucks just play with our lives and screw us over if multiple of yous decide to have a dramatic emotional tragedy that ruins the next few centuries with a curse that you all took your sweet time resolving!
Isla: Do you resent me for being your ruler Ino?
Ino: I’d be lying if I said I didn’t resent this situation Isla.
Azul: It’s how we done things mostly. My people elected me to rule.
Ino: And yet if you get captured by Egen your people’s will mean shit all.
Velnia: I’m not connected… to any ruler’s life… so I can do… as I please...
Cleo: What are you and where are you from Velnia?
Velnia: I died as a baby and was resurrected by a blessing from the cosmic void… my connection with my ruler was severed completely and I became an independent being… that could eat magic itself...
Cleo: So you can just kill us with no consequences on your part?
Velnia: w3 4R3 Fr13Nd5. 1 w1Ll n0T H4rM 4Ny 0f Y0u. Except Grim.
Isla: Well that’s good to know.
Grim: Not for me.
Azul: Uhhh. Everyone. Do you see these henchies?
Grim: You sure these are not the servants?
Azul: I’m sure servants don’t have that many weapons on them.
Egen walks onto the scene looking smug and confident with a small regiment of henchies pointing their weapons at the group.
Egen: Hello everyone. Nice to see you Cleo, Grim, Azul, Oro, and whoever you are Wildling ruler.
Isla: It’s Isla.
Egen: You’re not Violet so why should I care?
Ino: You’re the fucker who just couldn’t divorce Aurora.
Egen: It would have been costly.
Azul: Totally not like the lives lost over the centuries.
Egen: Irrelevant, but I’m back Oro.
Oro: I mourned you!
Egen: I’m disappointed that you aren’t happy Oro and that you married our enemy.
Grim: Hello, I’m your brother-in-law.
Egen: Charming. May I ask you to come along with me so the people can welcome their new ruler?
Cleo: I rather die.
Egen: And doom your people. Tssk. I thought you better than that Cleo.
Oro: What happened to you Egen?
Egen: I grew up Oro. I learned that people you trust will hurt you. I survived because Violet used her powers to resurrect me at the cost of her own life.
Isla: Didn’t you cheat on Aurora?
Egen: I thought Aurora would understand.
Grim: You should have just killed Aurora and married Violet if you were so scared of the consequences of divorce my dear brother-in-law Egen. Speaking personally what my father did to my mother of course.
Egen: I’m not a monster. I made sure Aurora was cared for.
Azul: It was humiliating for her to see both her husband and best friend betray her. You weren’t very good at hiding the affair and everyone practically knew. Some even openly mocked her for “failing” as a wife.
Egen: I didn’t know.
Cleo: Of course you didn’t know anything you never talked to her. Who do you think she went to when she was feeling down?
Egen: You couldn’t convince Aurora to not kill Violet.
Azul: Well it was obviously a crime of passion and not planned so how could we do anything about it?
Egen: It doesn’t matter if you two failed to keep Violet alive. I’ll bring her back using the blood and body of the current Wildling ruler to do so.
Egen and his henchies grab the group except Ino and Velnia.
Ino: Uhhh RUDE. Am I not worth kidnapping?
Egen: NO. (He walks off)
Ino: Come on Velnia. We got to help them.
Velnia: How? I have deep… anxiety about… everything…
Ino: Well we are the heroes no one wants or deserves, but off we go.
I suck at chapter titles, so I don't mess with it personally. You'd think it's not that hard, but I seem incapable of creating good ones. Idk. The thing is though, I quite chapter titles because sometimes when I pick up a book again, I don't necessarily want to reread the whole thing, but just revisit that one particular moment and then chapter titles are quite nice because they can give a bit of context. :D
19th like! Most of the books I've read last year were in these read-alongs. 😊 It's wild to me that you don't have more subs.
Tell your friends 😉 lol
Funnily enough, my plan is ALSO to drink a great deal of liquor to deal with this! So glad the brooding male love interest is #relatable.
Edit: also all this "pain and trauma makes you stronger" bs is REALLY great motivation to work on planning my own story which is very much going to take that whole concept apart.
It's nice to hit the points where you rage quit and messaged me, fond memories.
You could say like Grim you are choosing to continue with this stupid dungeon crawl of a book until you reach the end or you perish.
In Cracked's After Hours the character slash actor of Sorin has a story where he explains his parents named him after Saurin.
Thank you for this video I have not cleaned my kitchen in too long.
Was the logic behind Grim taking the brunt of all the traps due to him getting stronger after he feels pain? It's still stupid regardless, but I'm wondering if that was Alex's train of thought.
I dunno. He never seems to get stronger. They just run away to heal up
"someone kicked the puppy"? 🤣 I am howling! pun intended
Their approach to traps is so "tank and spank" 😂 Tactics? Who is she?
nobody loves me my whole life has been that of an a d d abandoned puppy for my sins of being a puppy. when do i get broody boy powers.
The nexus curse so far as I understand it isn't "one discrete power" so much as it is "the power of one realm", so Star/Shade babies would only have one set of powers, not both.
Because of her flair, Isla is immune to Nexus, therefore able to access both power sets.
This magic system is very confusing.
This book continues too ruin Cleo by claiming it wasn't her that made those harsh or not good or complicated decisions but an old man who was the real mastermind behind her behavior and governance. Like just let Cleo own up to making those decisions and not this half-hearted attempt to make Cleo "less bad" like with her random kid surprise. Like if Grim can be the "bad guy with complexity" Alex Aster should be able to do that with Cleo too without the need of an old man to dump her "bad decisions" onto.
It's like Alex Aster doesn't know how to humanize or add complexity to Cleo so she just says "Look she has a kid and all the bad/harsh things about Moonling life and rule was just an old man along so Cleo is less bad now teehee," rather than just recontextualizing Cleo's actions by just showing more of Cleo's actual thoughts and motivations related to her politicking and personal belief system.
i kinda want a democracy bad selfharm good t-shirt but I don't think anyone would understand the context
I want to pit Grim against Xnab from Marjorie James' The Trouble with Deathtraps
So, in D&D terms, Grim is a Barbarian. Why is he wearing the armor, then? Is he something like the "Gutbuster Brigade" from Drizzt novels? :D
I just assumed that her guardians were a couple. Poppy x Terra 4eva
Isla is so annoying omg. This book has *some* good ideas but boy they sure are buried in a mountain of awful.
also I feel like Lynx is almost trying to be Llyan from Prydain... but without all of the charm and interesting ideas. I would say it's kind of amazing that a giant cat who has a literal telepathic bond with the protagonist has less personality and relationship development than a regular non telepathic giant cat who doesn't even hang out with the main protagonist that often.... but this is Nightbane so I'm not surprised at all let alone amazed
Thank god I wasn't the only one who had an issue with the dragon cave traps and Grim's stupid idea of triggering all the traps, using himself as a shield. Like, I know they can't use magic but come on. Magic wasn't their only option here, especially since they made *multiple* trips to the cave. They could have used other things like actual shields or scouting the cave to figure out how to deal with the traps properly instead of just running directly into them. They could have taken her healing potions or whatever to help when they got injured so they didn't have to leave every single time. They had resources and choices. It made no sense.
right? Like throw a rock or something? Get creative!
Wow, I had to watch the last few minutes multiple times and I still don't understand what's going on with the flares and the powers and the curses and whatnot...
Also, speaking of McGuffins, did I miss what happened to the egg thing in Book 1 (the heart of Lightlark or something)? I feel like we haven't heard anything about it in this book. Is it still around, or did it disappear? What about the door that's opened by Isla's crown? Does it matter anymore? Does any of it matter?? T_T
The egg and the heart are completely forgotten in this book. Of all the things she decided to forget about, she picked that over the gloves made of human skin...
Grim is definitely a definition of a broody boy.
It's so demoralizing that the our female protagonist goes to do an important plot point by herself, but then is just instantly damsel-ed. She's not different or cool in a way that actually matters to her actions in the story. Such a missed opportunity and bummer. The bad guys doing the damseling are just nameless bad guys too, from the bad guy lands.
Grim have 12 arrows in his body and he's still princess carrying her because she got 1 arrow in the leg. What! Aster, that's not how arrow wounds work, not at all!
Oh man! Grim setting off all the traps to take the arrows and the pain being the only way they can think of to get through traps is sooooo silly! Clearly Aster has never played D&D or any other Tabletop RPG. It's so silly it seems like parody, but I don't think she's joking. ^_^;;
Big ick about the self-harm gives you more magical strength, no that's a bad concept story and potentially dangerous . [Insert Steve Carrel as Micheal in the Office softly saying No]
12 arrows. 12?! Boromir is a hardcore badass for taking 3 arrows before he's killed... Where does one fit 12 arrows in a human body without damaging something life-sustaining? Either Grim is so very, very dead, or those arrows are as deadly as porcupine quills. Either way...no. I refuse to accept that Grim lived through 12 arrows. The man is dead, or those were not arrows.
Maybe Grim is actually a zombie
@@JulianGreystoke head canon accepted!!
this book is taking years off your life 😭
it really is
atleast saddles are a thing.... i refuse to believe the sturips were unknown when the battle of hasting's happenend.
i must admit your are cosplaying circa 2005 han solo season fashion.... going back to regular time.
This author struggles with writing war, battles, politics, etc. And she also doesn't enjoy writing these elements. She very obviously wants to write about the love story between Isla and Grim. So I don't understand why she had to include all of these comlex political issues and conflicts that she has put no effort researching, or even really thinking about. Just write the romance in fantasy world you want to write. Not every story needs to have world-ending stakes.
I feel like your next book is iron flame. But you've read a string of absolutely garbage books and probably need a break 😂