[update] book-babble and then some;
And so, consistent with the fact that I read through all books put in my way -- am done with naominovik's Empire of Ivory. Which I will read again. Because I have no choice but to read it again. Because the cliffhanger is terrible and also wonderful because I am now anxiously looking forward to the next book (read: what comes next), while leaving me with a heavy, heavy feeling along the chest area. It's made that much of an impression.
No spoilers for those who haven't read. I could go and keysmash right now though. It's a feeling I've only felt twice before: first, when Fellowship of the Ring first came out and Nate _thenothing_ and I practically glued our butts to the theatre seat with me declaring, "it's not done; I want to see Two Towers now, tyvm." And second, when I finished catching the easter egg at the end of Iron Man's credits proclaiming, "Okay. Next Marvel movie please? I would like to see more now."
I'm only this obnoxiously loud though, in company that knows me and is comfortable with me. Both instances given being in the presence of family, so there.
I want to write fanfic in her world. Of course, I'd tuck it away where only a handful of people would see it since I'm only writing it to indulge my hyperactive imagination. And also because I'm really not sure as of yet (yes, here be n00b) what Ms. Novik's stand on fanfiction is. I've come across several drabbles crossing over the Aubrey/Maturin novels with her world, but this is actually one of those stories that has me itching to explore the world with a bunch of OCs intermingling with the less mentioned members of the cast, or if prevented by the timeline, just the world would be nice, thanks.
I've already started brushing up on Philippine history with regard to this particular era, and while I tried (I really did) to reign in my imagination, I remember too much of the information I gathered when Kam slpwlkngdreamer lent me her copy of Maximo Ramos' book and have come up with 3 sets of dragons in this oddly realized version of what my country would have been at the time, complete with habits, habitats, quirks, histories, local myth and the like.
In so many words: Noey's a little too engrossed in the world.
The Bakunawa
Wikipedia had a little bit of information on it (though nowhere near like Ramos' book), you can take a peek at it here. I'm retaining most of what the myth has for it, though I've mapped out a bunch of characteristics that the culture working with these serpents have built around it.
The idea I'm working on runs mostly on the reconciliation of these serpents as having certain fish-like traits. I am in no way a Biology major, so this is all stretched with the objective of suspending belief: unlike other dragons, they spawn. Females scatter the unfertilized eggs in a secure (read: sacred) cove. Initial idea is that this is seasonal, but I might amend that since dragons are in no way as small as fish and would take up too much space.
It's a long and mildly fleshed out idea, most of which I am loathe to babble about at this stage unless to Kam because I know how overboard I can go with ideas and how few would be interested at all in reading about it.
But since I'm halfway there: the serpents are "paired"-off with their handlers/companions upon at the hatching season, and taking a bit from Badjiao way of teaching their children how to swim, the newborns (ages ranging from a few months to a little over a year) are set into the water and the local myth is that it is the heartbeat of the child that draws the serpent to them. Males are for females and vice versa. There is a logic behind that as well. But I shall babble on those much later because I have the urge to write.
In any case, just to give this some form of proper closing: in the general area of the Visayas we have the marcupo (flyers and singers, smallish, capable of carrying either 1 adult or 2 small children) and the buwaya (non-flying, land dragons who are deadly and revered as a hunter-god of sorts). And then of course, other breeds in-between.
=X
No spoilers for those who haven't read. I could go and keysmash right now though. It's a feeling I've only felt twice before: first, when Fellowship of the Ring first came out and Nate _thenothing_ and I practically glued our butts to the theatre seat with me declaring, "it's not done; I want to see Two Towers now, tyvm." And second, when I finished catching the easter egg at the end of Iron Man's credits proclaiming, "Okay. Next Marvel movie please? I would like to see more now."
I'm only this obnoxiously loud though, in company that knows me and is comfortable with me. Both instances given being in the presence of family, so there.
I want to write fanfic in her world. Of course, I'd tuck it away where only a handful of people would see it since I'm only writing it to indulge my hyperactive imagination. And also because I'm really not sure as of yet (yes, here be n00b) what Ms. Novik's stand on fanfiction is. I've come across several drabbles crossing over the Aubrey/Maturin novels with her world, but this is actually one of those stories that has me itching to explore the world with a bunch of OCs intermingling with the less mentioned members of the cast, or if prevented by the timeline, just the world would be nice, thanks.
I've already started brushing up on Philippine history with regard to this particular era, and while I tried (I really did) to reign in my imagination, I remember too much of the information I gathered when Kam slpwlkngdreamer lent me her copy of Maximo Ramos' book and have come up with 3 sets of dragons in this oddly realized version of what my country would have been at the time, complete with habits, habitats, quirks, histories, local myth and the like.
In so many words: Noey's a little too engrossed in the world.
The Bakunawa
Wikipedia had a little bit of information on it (though nowhere near like Ramos' book), you can take a peek at it here. I'm retaining most of what the myth has for it, though I've mapped out a bunch of characteristics that the culture working with these serpents have built around it.
The idea I'm working on runs mostly on the reconciliation of these serpents as having certain fish-like traits. I am in no way a Biology major, so this is all stretched with the objective of suspending belief: unlike other dragons, they spawn. Females scatter the unfertilized eggs in a secure (read: sacred) cove. Initial idea is that this is seasonal, but I might amend that since dragons are in no way as small as fish and would take up too much space.
It's a long and mildly fleshed out idea, most of which I am loathe to babble about at this stage unless to Kam because I know how overboard I can go with ideas and how few would be interested at all in reading about it.
But since I'm halfway there: the serpents are "paired"-off with their handlers/companions upon at the hatching season, and taking a bit from Badjiao way of teaching their children how to swim, the newborns (ages ranging from a few months to a little over a year) are set into the water and the local myth is that it is the heartbeat of the child that draws the serpent to them. Males are for females and vice versa. There is a logic behind that as well. But I shall babble on those much later because I have the urge to write.
In any case, just to give this some form of proper closing: in the general area of the Visayas we have the marcupo (flyers and singers, smallish, capable of carrying either 1 adult or 2 small children) and the buwaya (non-flying, land dragons who are deadly and revered as a hunter-god of sorts). And then of course, other breeds in-between.
=X