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@Blackfooted Bobcat, this
@Blackfooted Bobcat, this is a thread for us to fanatically talk about the Map to Everywhere series! :D FUN!
submitted by Shining Star, age 13 eons, The Milky Way, she/her
(April 17, 2022 - 8:59 pm)
(April 17, 2022 - 8:59 pm)
Yaaaay!
I'll post more later, once this has topped :D I'm way too excited for this XD
(April 19, 2022 - 6:26 pm)
(April 20, 2022 - 5:20 pm)
Ah, sorry this took a while! If you could start the discussion, that would be great, actually.
(April 23, 2022 - 11:22 am)
I first got The Map To Everywhere from the same friend who introduced me to Cricket. When I first looked at the back cover I was like, "YIKES this may be WAY TOO OLD FOR ME" But then I read it.
From the first page I was SO hooked. I was like, "THIS CHARACTER IS AMAZING" and then by the Pirate Ship In The Parking Lot I couldn't put it down. I read till way late and then I was starstruck. Really, if I hadn't read that book, I might have taken a very different direction in my writing style.
The characters are great and I love how even though they are opposite genders they are just friends, not shipped. That's pretty unusual these days and it was cool. And the whole "FIn is forgettable" dynamic was seriously amazing!!! :D
I will TRY not to give any spoilers for the last two books but you really should read them!
(April 24, 2022 - 8:14 pm)
(I didn't say this, but the reason I wanted you to start the conversation was so I didn't go on too long, so hopefully this won't be too long XD) The pure amount I agree about the "they're just friends and not shipped" -! I'm glad to see that continues into the later books; that was one thing I was worried about. And yes, Marill and Fin are great :D
I have to say, Fin holds a special place in my heart, though. He's definitely my favorite character ever - *sees my characters coming with lasers and nanobots and potion jars and magical mechanical dragons* RUUUUUUUUN!
*running*
I think I might have taken a different direction with my writing style too, if I hadn't read the books. For instance, I might not have such a deep love for fun details and humor and fun chapter titles. I love how the books, especially City of Thirst, have all those things, but are nonetheless meaningful and have really great character development.
I really want to read the last two books but at the same time then I'll only be able to reread!!!! (and I reread a lot; I've read the first book like 15 times) I'm glad to hear they are still good :D
I just casually checked it out from the library. I was like, "eh, this might be interesting, why not". By the time I had finished reading it I... it's just... SO GOOOOD! That's the only way I can put it XD
Anyway, now that I should be safe from my characters *glares into the distance*: FIIIIIIN! I love the awkwardness and how he's not like you would expect you're stereotypical book theif to be. He's just such a fun character. And the whole "forgettable" part was great too. It just added so much to him, and obviously it is much more important in Book 2 and ostensibly later books too, considering what happened.
Ahh, this is probably getting too long. But I love all the worlds as well. Even though the two POVs don't start out in the same place, I genuinely think it did a good job of connecting them and getting them together in a quick but not contrived manner.
Okay, now I need to stop. But I can't wait to talk more about it!
(April 25, 2022 - 8:28 am)
It's totally fine that you went on so long, I think that is awesome.
Fin IS my favorite character and I will say that without him my characters would not have become who they are now. My best character starts out as a thief and...well, I MAY have borrowed slightly from the book we are discussing.
I also like Marrill and how she is the only one who remembers Fin. <3 And Serth is such a fascinating villain--especially LATER in the books *cuts self off before revealing stuff*
And the Pirate Stream is so original! I mean, what an idea. Especially with how anything and everything changes into something different when it hits the water! (AAAH wait until they have to--*cuts self off again*) I mean, that's so amazing. Plus it raises the stakes when Fin escapes from the sinking Merrisan ship. (Speaking of which, isn't that an amazing scene?! Especially when they're climbing the mast and AAAAH)
And the Gibbering Grove is so fascinating! (Although then when Serth shows up :( ) And the way everything ties together with the nuts and defeating Serth later. (About that, I still don't get how he survived the Stream...)
The Naysayer is hilarious. Actually because of the Map to Everywhere, I have learned to insert humor into my (slightly-dark) stories. For instance I have this one character who makes jokes about everything--when they learned something terrible or some dark secret, he'll say something in an extremely cheerful tone like, "Yup, we're doomed." So that is good for lightening the mood.
Now about the City of Thirst. Wasn't that SO AMAZING? The whole thing. We found out so much about Fin's past (but not everything, wait until you find out about the Rise and the Fade--). And there are various villains which is so interesting (and creates Fin's iconic line later--"There's no-one I'd rather watch the world be destroyed in four different ways with than you")--the Master, Serth, and the Salt Sand King. (ARGH it's so HARD not TO REVEAL STUFF--please go read the other books!!!!)
Well anyways....see you soon!
(April 26, 2022 - 4:28 pm)
I don't have time to say much, but yep, "can't sail a chicken"!
(May 1, 2022 - 10:38 am)
(May 2, 2022 - 5:22 pm)
I promise I'll post more later!
(May 3, 2022 - 4:17 pm)
Top?
(May 8, 2022 - 12:38 pm)
Ugh, sorry. I've been a bit busy lately.
There are so many great lines! I'd go find some but I don't have the books with me. I'll do that later.
And yeah, I definitely grew to really like having a lot of novel worldbuilding and a lot of humor and fun chapter titles (such as "Diplomatic Exploits, and Why they're Prone to Laser Attacks") in my books. I'm going to have to go reread TMtE and CoT so I can talk more, though!
My favorite place they've been is probably the Khaznot Quay. It feels so lived in, and I love the parts about the wind and skysailing. However, the sinking city (I can't remember what it's called aaaah) was also great, as was the Gibbering Grove, as you said :D I love all the worldbuilding. It's just so fun.
I'd say my favorite minor character (aka not Marrill or Fin) is probably Ardent - he has quite a fun personality. But all the characters are well-drawn. What about you? Remy is pretty unique.
I definitely think having multiple villains is a good idea - if the same villain fails all those times it's going to lower the tension because said villain has been beaten a lot before, but if the main characters fail constantly it's going to be kind of dreary. So I think (so far) it has struck a good balance.
I totally love the whole "forgettable" thing, though. I have a character concept where someone's half ghost half human (note: not like a horror ghost, it's just a seperate subset of humanoids, but they exist on slightly different worlds) so they aren't noticed by ghosts or the living, and it fades shortly after. I don't know much else about what I'll do with that, though.
And I'm just again going to say how incredibly glad I am that they don't get shipped later :D
(May 11, 2022 - 7:49 pm)
OMG, you should've heard the latest chapter titles in Boundary. Here are just a few:
Marty Is Eaten By A Flower
The Heat Doesn't Keep The Giant Frogs Away
Ligentropes, Pink Hair, And Other Life-saving Annoyances
The Map to Everywhere definately inspired those! Indirectly, of course.
The Khaznot Quay DID inspire some of the cities in my own stories, and yeah it's very well-lived in. I like how Fin knows all the secret places, the tricks of the trade, the password into the Thieves' Den, etc., etc. And Monerva is awesome. I love "Beyond this point continuity is not guarenteed" (spelled continuity wrong I bet). It's cool how it's out of time.
One of the best things about the Map to Everywhere--at least in my mind--is the world-building. The backstories. The amount of work the authors put into creating such an amazing world. EVERY world has its history--the Crystal-Shadow Wastes, the Khaznot Quay, Monerva with the Burning Plains, the whole Pirate Stream. Wait until the Font of Meres--and Tallowtrees and AAAAAGH and the RISE AND THE--*shuts self up*.
Anyways. I think Fin's forgettableness is such a unique idea! So creative. It also makes you think. What if I met him and just don't remember? XD.
Yeah I was so happy they weren't shipped throuighout the whole series. Most of the romance is Ardent and Annalessa, and Remy and Coll XD.
Well it's just awesome having someone to fanatically fan over with. :>
(May 13, 2022 - 3:39 pm)
Oh and another thing. I met this kid and we're co-authoring a book together. They don't have a great family and I feel bad for them. After a while I feel like Marril does with Fin--that special place in my heart, where I feel like they're a hurt animal I have to take care of. It's funny....
(May 13, 2022 - 5:15 pm)
ACH I DIDN'T SEE YOU POSTED I'M SO SORRY -
Yes, "beyond this point continuity is not guaranteed"!!!!! I love that :D
But Fiiiiiin! I love how he's so awkward because nobody remembers him, and the whole part about "now people form opinions". I love how the forgettableness weaves its way into every part of the story.
I don't have much more time, but yes, the backstories/history is awesome :D It's also a very good thing to think about with our own writing.
And also so many great quotes!!! Reading words has not been working for me lately (I have weird vision issues) so I can't check the ones I have memorized, so I'll post some later. But yes.
Although about the weird vision issues: Apparently my eye doctor has no idea how I can even read because of all the weird vision stuff I have, and then I read a ton XD (Usually.) But yeah.
There's so much more I want to say, like how much I love Karnelius the Cat, but I have to stop here now. Bye!
(May 26, 2022 - 10:10 am)
(May 26, 2022 - 10:10 am)