I actually reread them last year, and finally finished all of them (Robert Jordan, the author, died back when I was reading them as a young teen, so there was a long gap between the 11th book and the final 3 books while the publishers tried to find another author to finish the series using Jordan's notes and input from his wife/editor, hence why I never finished the series as a kid).
I was motivated to reread them because the Amazon WoT series is such complete and utter shit, and I wanted to make sure I wasn't misremembering the books, because I remembered really liking them. In fact, I was initially drawn to them as a teen because after reading LOTR and seeing all of the movies in theaters, I needed something new to fill that gaping hole of loss you feel after finishing a good series, and WoT did that nicely.
Anyway, turns out the books are still great, even as an adult. In fact, I appreciated them even more this time around. Which makes it such a shame that the Amazon series is just absolutely butchering it (they're following only like 5% of the books' plot and inventing the other 95% from scratch). Talk about a crime against art. I definitely recommend the books though! They were a fun, easy, and epic diversion during the depressing latter half of winter. So much so that I'm trying to turn it into a habit. Non-fiction during spring, summer, and fall, and fiction during winter.
Feb 28, 2024
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Not a huge fantasy novel person, but I read the Game of Thrones books. Waiting forever for the new ones to come out, as a joke decided to try reading the entire Wheel of Time series (14 loooong books) while I waited. Iβm on book 7 of 14. Canβt/wonβt turn back now.
Feb 5, 2024
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Super long but super well written fantasy series. Iβm only on book 8 out of 14 lol
Apr 27, 2024
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I read the trilogy for the first time in 2019. I was really surprised and impressed by the complexity of these books. I think they were some of the last good YA books and also unknowingly were the precipice the publishing industry would topple from. It's not Suzanne Collins fault everyone said oh my god, we're doing districts.
The movies don't capture what makes these books special; they capture what makes it marketable. I enjoy them but don't approve. The distance between the two is too sad. For me, it's so pleasurable to trace the obvious lineage of this series. The Lottery by Shirley Jackson, then The Long Walk by Richard Bachman (Stephen King), two of my favorite works, then The Hunger Games. Every author wanting more than the previous one gave.
If you haven't read in a while, these might get you going again. Digestible, approachable, and honestly deeply affecting. As a connoisseur of dystopia, this tastes just fine.
Nov 17, 2024
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I don't know how well this actually answers your initial question, I think it's more of a counterpoint to some of the stuff people have already said, but here it goes.
In the past (prior to social media or search engines) specific styles, specialized knowledge, and niche awareness actually took effort. You had to go out into the world and find a scene, be accepted, participate in it, contribute to it, and learn from others with specific knowledge within the specific sub- or counter-cultural scene. It took time, effort, and experience to craft an identity. Nowadays people cycle through various identities and trends like commodities because it takes no effort (they're sold to them by social media algorithms, influencers, brand accounts, etc.). It comes to you in your phone without you ever even having to leave the house or put in the time to discover it or participate in it (you just follow specific people or subscribe). You can be a passive observer or consumer, not an active contributor. As a result, you're not invested or tied down and committed to that core identity. You can cosplay depending on your mood or who you want to momentarily convey yourself as, because it's easy. Essentially, being a poser has become normalized. An identity is now something to be momentarily consumed and affected, rather than grown, built, and developed over time.
Granted, it's always been different in regards to "mass" culture and popular trends (both in the past and now). Those are impossible to miss and were always monopolized by specific trend setting institutions, but always by the time it gets to that point, the actual initial counter- or sub-culture that inspired it has already been coopted and has started to disintegrate under the weight and attention of mass consumption.
Feb 18, 2024
It's an action deserving of its own nickname. My cat's name is Gomez, but when he crosses his paws like this, he turns into Hodgkins Plumpersocks.
Feb 2, 2024
Please enjoy my attempt(s) to fill the void.
title: "pet; owner"
medium: hair
Jan 30, 2024