tall, dark & dangerous
link!things
1. Kate Beaton (of Hark! A Vagrant) has posted Her Comics, By Korean Children. Basically, a teacher friend of hers erased all the dialogue from her comic strips and had his Korean students fill them in. HILARIOUS.
2. Namco's Tales of Graces: F will be localised. Interesting. As much as I'd love it to come to the Wii, the fact that they're localising F will make it more likely it'll be a PS3 release.
3. In that vein, have a lovely English-scanlated young!Hubert doujinshi, done with the artist's permission for distribution.
4. Check out the extended scenes from the White Collar pilot! Funny thing was that the extended scenes were in the international pilot (which was never shown in the US, and not released on the DVD), so for a while, the only versions available were dubbed. These are in the original English.
5. The latest White Collar episode (titled What Happens in Burma) is about someone named Chris who gets kidnapped in Southeast Asia.
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA.
6. So I talked about Martha Wells' book Death of a Necromancer here, and I just wanted to say more about it (lacewood should also do a pimp post that isn't as... shall I say, slanted as mine will be).
Death of a Necromancer is about the greatest thief in the city of Ile-Rien, Nicholas Valiarde, who runs his illustrious criminal career under the alias Donatien, while he carries on business as a (relatively) modest, law-abiding art dealer. Inspector Ronsarde (who works closely with a Doctor Halle) has been investigating Donatien for years, and has come close to uncovering Nicholas's plots.
So I'm going to tell you why you should read this book.
massive spoilers follow.
For deadly enemies, the thief and the inspector have an awful lot of respect for (and faith in) each other. When Nicholas is put under a death curse, he trusts that Ronsarde and Halle will finish his work in tracking down the titular necromancer. When investigating said necromancer's activities gets Ronsarde arrested, Nicholas mobilises his team to stand by when Ronsarde is charged, and later aid in the inspector's escape, concealment and continued survival. When Nicholas is arrested, Inspector Ronsarde goes in disguise and infiltrates the prison to get him out. And Nicholas is furious with him for going back into prison when Nicholas had worked so hard to get him out of it.
SO NOW FOR THE DETAILS:
Nicholas and his team are after a rather nasty necromancer, who sets a Sending (essentially a death curse that keeps trying and doesn't mind collateral damage) on Nicholas, so Nicholas and Madeline (actress, fellow thief/conspirator) go in search of (magical) help. Both of them know that it is likely they may die before finding help, and this conversation ensues:
Madeline: (If we die) There will be no one to stop (the necromancer).
Nicholas: Yes, there will be. Ronsarde and Halle will stop them.
Madeline: For deadly enemies, you have a lot of faith in them.
Nicholas: There are deadly enemies, and there are deadly enemies.
Just as the death curse is dealt with, Inspector Ronsarde is arrested as he is investigating the necromancer's activities. Upon learning of the arrest, Nicholas's team sends him a message and tells him he needs to return immediately. Nicholas's team is incredulous and skeptical of the charges. A rumor's been put about that the Inspector was aiding the necromancer, and riots have broken out as people try to break into the prison to lynch the Inspector even before he is charged.
Nicholas's team (including my favourite, Reynard) head off to stand by when the Inspector is to be charged, and talk about how odd it is that the Inspector has been arrested, and say that they always expected it to be the other way around (that he would arrest them). And now I should quote and let the book speak for itself:
____________________________
"Odd is a mild word for it," Nicholas said, his expression hard. Now that he had gotten over the initial shock, he was almost light-headed with rage at [the necromancer and his ally]. They had stolen [Nicholas's adoptive father's] work, they had tried to kill himself and Madeline, and now... And now Ronsarde. He should be grateful to them for destroying the great Inspector Ronsarde, something he had never been able to do.
Except I stopped trying to destroy him years ago.
He wasn't grateful, he was homicidal. It wasn't enough that they endanger his friends and servants, they had to attack his most valued enemy as well.
____________________________
When the Inspector is brought out to be charged, a group of rioters start making for him, which is a "confirmation of Nicholas's worst fear" - that this is an effort by hired men to eliminate Ronsarde. The Inspector disappears into the mob, and this happens:
____________________________
[The men] were taking [Ronsarde] to the prison side of the plaza. Nicholas started after them. Reynard caught his arm. "What are we doing, dammit?"
Nicholas hesitated, but only briefly. He had a dozen reasons for this, but the one that currently made the most sense was that someone badly wanted Ronsarde dead, the same someone who wanted them dead, and knowing the reason could tell him a great deal. "Find Ronsarde and get out of here."
"I was afraid of that," Reynard snarled and whipped his blade up, abruptly clearing a path for them.
____________________________
The hired rioters are about to hang Ronsarde, and Nicholas shoots one them, scares the rest away, and Nicholas and Reynard rescue the Inspector. The team goes into the prison, where they are pursued by a monster, and are subsequently trapped in the prison. They discuss various plans for escape (and the success of the same), and this happens:
____________________________
Nicholas knew that success was not only unlikely, but with Inspector Ronsarde along, wounded and sure to be recognized by any constable they might pass, it was damned impossible. At this point he was even desperate enough to risk the sewer, but they had no way to get to it. "I'm open to suggestions," he said dryly.
Leaning heavily against the wall, Ronsarde said promptly, "I have one."
"If it's the one you've had the last three times I asked, I don't want to hear it again," Nicholas said. He was aware his patience was wearing thin, making him more likely to make mistakes, but there was little he could do about it now.
Ronsarde only grew more determined. "You said yourself, if I am not with you it would be relatively easy to explain your presence. You could walk out of here with a blessing from the prison officials -"
"And leave you to bleed to death?" Nicholas interrupted. What kind of man do you take me for? he wanted to asked, and managed to hold back just in time. Damn fool question to ask Ronsarde, when he didn't know himself.
____________________________
They do escape, and Nicholas's team helps to conceal Ronsarde thereafter. Later, Nicholas is arrested (for political reasons), Inspector Ronsarde goes in disguise and infiltrates the prison to get him out.
This is when the BEST hilarity ensues.
Nicholas manages to get out of his prison cell, and encounters Ronsarde in disguise within the prison. Since Ronsard is still a hunted man, Nicholas realises that the Inspector must have "concocted quite a story" to get so far into the prison undetected. Nicholas thinks he would have admired Ronsarde's self-possession if he wasn't so angry. And boy is he angry:
____________________________
Once they were [out of the prison building], Nicholas grabbed Ronsarde's arm and dragged him to a sheltered corner. "What are you doing here?" he demanded.
"Looking for you, my boy. Really, what did you think? I would have been here sooner, but it took me some time to find where they had taken you. Discovering it was the old barracks was somewhat anticlimatic, I had anticipated having to free you from the holding cells under the Gate Tower."
"I'm so sorry you were disappointed," Nicholas said, through gritted teeth. "I risk everything to get you out of that damn prison and you come here?"
"Of course."
____________________________
Unfortunately, they are discovered by people who know Ronsarde.
Then the Inspector passes the thief off as his protege.
best lols ever.
____________________________
"Ronsarde?" Giarde's lips thinned in annoyance. "Good God, man, how dare you come here like this?" He looked again at Nicholas. "That's not Doctor Halle, is it?"
"No, this is my protege, Nicholas Valiarde."
Nicholas stared at Ronsarde in fury, barely managing the self-control not to voice an outraged denial. Protege?
"How did you find us, if you don't mind my asking?" Ronsarde continued easily. "You know I am always seeking to improve my technique."
[...] Giarde's gaze went to Nicholas speculatively. "Your protege?"
"Our situation has become... complicated," Ronsarde admitted.
...
Nicholas said low-voiced to Ronsarde, "Well, are we for prison or not?"
"I'm not sure," Ronsarde admitted. [...] He shrugged philosophically. "You've escaped from the Vienne prison twice now, haven't you? Don't most sorcerous formulae suggest the third time should be lucky?"
Nicholas rubbed his forehead, to conceal his expression from the others. "Oh, if I'm to be sent to prison I'd prefer it to be for bashing in the head of a Prefecture Inspector and leaving his body in a midden." He was beginning to feel a deep sympathy for Doctor Halle.
Ronsarde chuckled.
____________________________
Seriously, best lols ever. This is only PART of the reason you should read the book.
____________________________
1. Kate Beaton (of Hark! A Vagrant) has posted Her Comics, By Korean Children. Basically, a teacher friend of hers erased all the dialogue from her comic strips and had his Korean students fill them in. HILARIOUS.
2. Namco's Tales of Graces: F will be localised. Interesting. As much as I'd love it to come to the Wii, the fact that they're localising F will make it more likely it'll be a PS3 release.
3. In that vein, have a lovely English-scanlated young!Hubert doujinshi, done with the artist's permission for distribution.
4. Check out the extended scenes from the White Collar pilot! Funny thing was that the extended scenes were in the international pilot (which was never shown in the US, and not released on the DVD), so for a while, the only versions available were dubbed. These are in the original English.
5. The latest White Collar episode (titled What Happens in Burma) is about someone named Chris who gets kidnapped in Southeast Asia.
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA.
6. So I talked about Martha Wells' book Death of a Necromancer here, and I just wanted to say more about it (lacewood should also do a pimp post that isn't as... shall I say, slanted as mine will be).
Death of a Necromancer is about the greatest thief in the city of Ile-Rien, Nicholas Valiarde, who runs his illustrious criminal career under the alias Donatien, while he carries on business as a (relatively) modest, law-abiding art dealer. Inspector Ronsarde (who works closely with a Doctor Halle) has been investigating Donatien for years, and has come close to uncovering Nicholas's plots.
So I'm going to tell you why you should read this book.
massive spoilers follow.
For deadly enemies, the thief and the inspector have an awful lot of respect for (and faith in) each other. When Nicholas is put under a death curse, he trusts that Ronsarde and Halle will finish his work in tracking down the titular necromancer. When investigating said necromancer's activities gets Ronsarde arrested, Nicholas mobilises his team to stand by when Ronsarde is charged, and later aid in the inspector's escape, concealment and continued survival. When Nicholas is arrested, Inspector Ronsarde goes in disguise and infiltrates the prison to get him out. And Nicholas is furious with him for going back into prison when Nicholas had worked so hard to get him out of it.
SO NOW FOR THE DETAILS:
Nicholas and his team are after a rather nasty necromancer, who sets a Sending (essentially a death curse that keeps trying and doesn't mind collateral damage) on Nicholas, so Nicholas and Madeline (actress, fellow thief/conspirator) go in search of (magical) help. Both of them know that it is likely they may die before finding help, and this conversation ensues:
Madeline: (If we die) There will be no one to stop (the necromancer).
Nicholas: Yes, there will be. Ronsarde and Halle will stop them.
Madeline: For deadly enemies, you have a lot of faith in them.
Nicholas: There are deadly enemies, and there are deadly enemies.
Just as the death curse is dealt with, Inspector Ronsarde is arrested as he is investigating the necromancer's activities. Upon learning of the arrest, Nicholas's team sends him a message and tells him he needs to return immediately. Nicholas's team is incredulous and skeptical of the charges. A rumor's been put about that the Inspector was aiding the necromancer, and riots have broken out as people try to break into the prison to lynch the Inspector even before he is charged.
Nicholas's team (including my favourite, Reynard) head off to stand by when the Inspector is to be charged, and talk about how odd it is that the Inspector has been arrested, and say that they always expected it to be the other way around (that he would arrest them). And now I should quote and let the book speak for itself:
____________________________
"Odd is a mild word for it," Nicholas said, his expression hard. Now that he had gotten over the initial shock, he was almost light-headed with rage at [the necromancer and his ally]. They had stolen [Nicholas's adoptive father's] work, they had tried to kill himself and Madeline, and now... And now Ronsarde. He should be grateful to them for destroying the great Inspector Ronsarde, something he had never been able to do.
Except I stopped trying to destroy him years ago.
He wasn't grateful, he was homicidal. It wasn't enough that they endanger his friends and servants, they had to attack his most valued enemy as well.
____________________________
When the Inspector is brought out to be charged, a group of rioters start making for him, which is a "confirmation of Nicholas's worst fear" - that this is an effort by hired men to eliminate Ronsarde. The Inspector disappears into the mob, and this happens:
____________________________
[The men] were taking [Ronsarde] to the prison side of the plaza. Nicholas started after them. Reynard caught his arm. "What are we doing, dammit?"
Nicholas hesitated, but only briefly. He had a dozen reasons for this, but the one that currently made the most sense was that someone badly wanted Ronsarde dead, the same someone who wanted them dead, and knowing the reason could tell him a great deal. "Find Ronsarde and get out of here."
"I was afraid of that," Reynard snarled and whipped his blade up, abruptly clearing a path for them.
____________________________
The hired rioters are about to hang Ronsarde, and Nicholas shoots one them, scares the rest away, and Nicholas and Reynard rescue the Inspector. The team goes into the prison, where they are pursued by a monster, and are subsequently trapped in the prison. They discuss various plans for escape (and the success of the same), and this happens:
____________________________
Nicholas knew that success was not only unlikely, but with Inspector Ronsarde along, wounded and sure to be recognized by any constable they might pass, it was damned impossible. At this point he was even desperate enough to risk the sewer, but they had no way to get to it. "I'm open to suggestions," he said dryly.
Leaning heavily against the wall, Ronsarde said promptly, "I have one."
"If it's the one you've had the last three times I asked, I don't want to hear it again," Nicholas said. He was aware his patience was wearing thin, making him more likely to make mistakes, but there was little he could do about it now.
Ronsarde only grew more determined. "You said yourself, if I am not with you it would be relatively easy to explain your presence. You could walk out of here with a blessing from the prison officials -"
"And leave you to bleed to death?" Nicholas interrupted. What kind of man do you take me for? he wanted to asked, and managed to hold back just in time. Damn fool question to ask Ronsarde, when he didn't know himself.
____________________________
They do escape, and Nicholas's team helps to conceal Ronsarde thereafter. Later, Nicholas is arrested (for political reasons), Inspector Ronsarde goes in disguise and infiltrates the prison to get him out.
This is when the BEST hilarity ensues.
Nicholas manages to get out of his prison cell, and encounters Ronsarde in disguise within the prison. Since Ronsard is still a hunted man, Nicholas realises that the Inspector must have "concocted quite a story" to get so far into the prison undetected. Nicholas thinks he would have admired Ronsarde's self-possession if he wasn't so angry. And boy is he angry:
____________________________
Once they were [out of the prison building], Nicholas grabbed Ronsarde's arm and dragged him to a sheltered corner. "What are you doing here?" he demanded.
"Looking for you, my boy. Really, what did you think? I would have been here sooner, but it took me some time to find where they had taken you. Discovering it was the old barracks was somewhat anticlimatic, I had anticipated having to free you from the holding cells under the Gate Tower."
"I'm so sorry you were disappointed," Nicholas said, through gritted teeth. "I risk everything to get you out of that damn prison and you come here?"
"Of course."
____________________________
Unfortunately, they are discovered by people who know Ronsarde.
Then the Inspector passes the thief off as his protege.
best lols ever.
____________________________
"Ronsarde?" Giarde's lips thinned in annoyance. "Good God, man, how dare you come here like this?" He looked again at Nicholas. "That's not Doctor Halle, is it?"
"No, this is my protege, Nicholas Valiarde."
Nicholas stared at Ronsarde in fury, barely managing the self-control not to voice an outraged denial. Protege?
"How did you find us, if you don't mind my asking?" Ronsarde continued easily. "You know I am always seeking to improve my technique."
[...] Giarde's gaze went to Nicholas speculatively. "Your protege?"
"Our situation has become... complicated," Ronsarde admitted.
...
Nicholas said low-voiced to Ronsarde, "Well, are we for prison or not?"
"I'm not sure," Ronsarde admitted. [...] He shrugged philosophically. "You've escaped from the Vienne prison twice now, haven't you? Don't most sorcerous formulae suggest the third time should be lucky?"
Nicholas rubbed his forehead, to conceal his expression from the others. "Oh, if I'm to be sent to prison I'd prefer it to be for bashing in the head of a Prefecture Inspector and leaving his body in a midden." He was beginning to feel a deep sympathy for Doctor Halle.
Ronsarde chuckled.
____________________________
Seriously, best lols ever. This is only PART of the reason you should read the book.
____________________________