I think it would be cool to see a Dear Authors on Re- imaginings. Like what things people love and hate to see in newer interpretations on fairy-tales and other public domain classics.
lmao here's a fun drinking game: Binge Merphy's videos and take a shot every time she gushes about Locke and Jean's friendship. Good luck even being coherent at the end of the night. You right tho, thanks for convincing me to pick up The Gentlemen Bastards.
@@sophiaanna7458 I read it (17 years old) but I also enjoy "adult" books more than "YA". I certainly had no issues with it though. It's not that graphic (only one or too scenes comes to mind (violent)) though there is a lot of bad language so if you don't like that it might not be for you. The tone overall is rather lighthearted in my opinion, although the world and conditions can be rather grim. I've read both Mistborn (all 3) and I'm currently reading the Way of Kings and I think that it is on a similar level. (mistborn is rather dark if you actually think about it and WoK surprised me a bit with how violent/gross a scene was (was something with an eye and injury) as I didn't expect such graphicness from Sanderson (coming from only having read mistborn). (also I've watched GoT if that helps you visualize my "tolerance" for graphicness, and wasn't put off by it). If your reading is similar to mine I don't think you would have much problems with The Lies of Locke Lamora. As for age, I think it's difficult to recommend to someone too young as it isn't the most child friendly. Also, I found The Lies of Locke Lamora a little difficult to read in the beginning (I'm not english so that may have contributed a lot) but I got used to Scott Lynch's writing style rather quickly. Sorry for such a scatterbrained post, I just wanted to paint a "clear" (i hope) picture. I hope it helped, it really is a good book. :D
Maybe you've already made a Dear Authors-video about this but HUMOUR/DIALOGUE! I think it's a huge part of my enjoyment of a book! Making me smile at their with, their jokes, sarcasm etc. is so important. It's very individual so maybe it isn't the best for a video though? I certainly enjoy Wit, Locke & Jean, Kabsal & Shallan, Shallan & Jasnah and so on..... (still only on WoK so don't spoil :D). Or maybe make a video discussing POV:s? Sometimes balancing POV:s in the wrong way can make me hate a character that I actually like which is very sad.
Don't try to make your sibling dynamic relatable to everyone. Sibling dynamics vary vastly between different households. I have two sisters myself, one older and one younger, and we always get on each other's nerves. We can literally be happy watching tv one minute, arguing about absolutely nothing, dispersing into different rooms, then make up an hour later without ever apologizing. We don't constantly say we love each other like you see in movies. In fact, we show our affection by insulting one another (we try never to curse, so we've made up a few insults that make absolutely no sense, like "duckway" and "jumbanaut") and coming up with theories about how my older sister was adopted, I was switched at birth, and my younger sister was taken by scientists for a bit and had genetic experiments done on her that turned her into some sort of human-fish-lemur hybrid. It's a weird sibling dynamic, but that works for us. We're pretty close in age, so my older sister never new how life was like as an only child. This is a key factor in our relationship. I have friends who are a very new at being older siblings, so for a brief moment in time they brag about how they'll be a big brother/sister and how much fun they'll have. After that baby turns two or three, they start praying that their sibling gets kidnapped because they want to go back to the happy days where they were once an only child. No matter the age difference, there is dominance when it comes to age (at least in most sibling dynamics I've observed). Younger siblings will calculate the exact age difference (to the second) between them and their older sibling if it means taking away some of that dominance. My older sister always mentions how she's two years older, to which I reply with an exact difference (which is less than two years). On the other handle, older siblings will use an exact age difference to assert dominance. I guess what I'm trying to say in this REALLY long comment (sorry about that) is that sibling dynamics differ a lot. There's a huge difference between siblings who are two years apart and siblings who are ten years apart, and if you are going to write a story about siblings, this crucial fact needs to be throughly investigated.
@@longliveplanetawesome3223 Wow, thank you for taking the time to write this out and honestly, thank you! It has given me some assurance with the unpredictable dynamic siblings tend to have, but also some pointers 🤔 The age difference bit will help with my middle child, I feel he is a bit bland but I guess he'd exert dominance even more so to his younger brother because that's currently happening to him with the eldest sibling. The age differences are small (roughly a year or two) so I guess they'll be more rivalry? Something happens in the beginning with the older brother and middle one (older brother does this ritual on the middle brother [it basically is grabbing a knife a carving these scales into someone for honour] but his intention is screwed because he does it during a fight and not with the right motive) I don't know whether they can come back from this or if the little brother would also have his relationship affected by this? But thank you!
I am an identical twin so my sibling experience may be a tad different, but I thought I could weigh in on sibling dynamic when the siblings are very close in age. My sister and I are best friends, but that isn't the case for all twins. I knew a boy who was a bit resentful of his twin since many people kept comparing him to his brother and treating the two like a unit rather than two separate people. Comparing happens to all siblings but when your age is very close sibling rivalry is common. I think that when siblings are close in age it is natural for one or both to try to seem more distinct. For example, by the time my sister and I entered middle school we tried really hard to have people see us as individuals rather than "a set". We adopted different styles of dress, hair, tried to get involved in separate activities etc. This is on a more humorous note, but my family and close friends have no problem telling my sister and I apart. Anyway didn't mean for my comment to go on for too long, even if twins are not in your work in any shape or form, I hope this was somewhat helpful for when siblings are fairly close in age. Good luck with your writing! :)
Been writing a book, finished the rough draft, did some meticulous editing, and just paid for a cover art. I feel like I might have to start back at square one depending on how this goes.
Ahh I’m so glad you mentioned death note. Light’s character arc is incredible. On the anime/manga track, I think you would love attack on titan. It has some of the best character arcs, plot twists and world building I’ve ever seen. ps. I finally picked up gentlemen bastards cuz of you :))
Hey Merphy! I also frequently struggle with romance in books... I think it's because I find often in romance authors rely on miscommunication to provide some conflict to their romance stories and I just don't enjoy that, either in life or fiction xD I find myself going "just talk about it!!!!" I think "Uprooted" by Naomi Novik has one of my favourite friendships in fantasy and it's between women: Kasia and Agnieszka
As an author, Fantasy specifically, and though my voice is obscure, I do find everything you say and talk about to be very helpful, regardless if its a "Dear Authors" video. Thank you.
Dear Authors, may I highly recommend with regards to the craft of writing fiction, Make A Scene by Jordan Rosenfeld. It was the book which inspired me to complete the first major overhaul of my novel. Filled with practical and specific advice, Make A Scene is what I consider to be a must have source book for writing. Now my copy is completely filled with underlines, highlights, notes and dog ears. Perhaps that is a sin to some, but it spurred me on over the course of many years to see the story through to its completion.
As for exciting villains: I am absolutely obsessed with Maven from Red Queen. He broke my heart many times and also gave me the most joy of all the characters.
I feel like my answer for almost all of these is somewhere in the Queen's Thief series. Like, favorite main character- Gen is so freaking great and you learn more about him and his personality every book! He keeps surprising you! romance- subtle and slow and mainly from the perspective of outsiders, friendships!!!! So many dynamics!!!, kinda redemption arcs? You just realize they're not as bad as you thought? It's a gradual revealing of characters' true motive and feelings! Favorite beginnings- the first book The Theif specifically, magic system because it's just gods and goddesses, magic isn't accessible to the characters we know and love Ending!!! Holy crap she does that so well!! Every book is like wait what! I'm sorry I just love Megan Whalen Turner so dang much
I really liked this video! One of my favourite endings of all time: Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini (also one of my favourite books ever, so...). It is difficult to talk about why an ending is good whithout spoilers, so I'll just say that I felt it was very true to the story and charecters, without being to soapy or unbelievable. Romance: haven't read a lot of it lately, but I looooved "Tell me Three Things" when I read it. One of my favourite YA contemporaries. Characters: probably in the Farseer Trilogy that I'm reading right now.
I love Locke and Jean so much too (also kudos on that pronunciation hehe), their friendship is so entertaining to read about. It also helps that the plots of those books are always so well written and exciting, we need book 4, we really do
as an author in progress, I greatly appreciate these Dear Authors videos! Although I read and feel similar if not the same about all these topics like overdone tropes and everything, it's reassuring to know that others feel the same. Now if only I can successfully publish my book that doesn't include any overdone tropes/anything readers have complained about in the past lol
Hi Merph , speaking of recs , I recently picked up a book called The City We Became by N.K Jemison. Not sure if you heard of it , but I really enjoyed it . It is a very lovely fantasy that I enjoyed from start to end , although it was a bit confusing . I would also like to hear your thoughts on it ☺ .
Can you do a bookshelf tour some time again? I see some beautiful new editions to your collection and I really want to know which ones they are... like the beautiful pink and white books next to Peter Pan? 😍
'A Picture of Dorian Gray', along with a Gordon Korman book, were the last two books I checked out of my local library before it closed down. I've skimmed it, but haven't really started reading it yet. Is there a Death Note novelization? Or is it the manga you're reading? There's some instances of the villain being the protagonist or (deuteragonist?). The Silverwing series comes to mind, along with the Harry Potter fanfiction, 'The Imposter Complex'.
Here are some of my favorites: Tropes I hate done right (not what you were talking about, but I wanted to add this one): Rebecca! I hate when the main character is an anxious, needy, well-intentioned girl, and this book pulled it off soooooo well! All the characters were twisted, including the 'innocent' main character, and her anxiety was written well but exaggerated enough that it wasn't too upsetting to read either. I liked how she was an unreliable narrator and had actual flaws. Rebecca also does things in the first chapter that would normally be a bad way to write a first chapter (starting with a dream, and writing endless descriptions of flowers), and instead of making it boring, it actually creates an oppressive atmosphere which works well for the story! Main characters: Light from Death Note, Locke from The Lies of Locke Lamora, Lulu from Lulu and the Flying Babies. The last one is a children's picture book (which normally do NOT have interesting characters) and I am quite picky about main characters and I'm still impressed by its characterization. The book shows Lulu whining in a funny and accurate way, and then throwing a tantrum in an equally kid-like way, and does not pick a side. It doesn't imply that Lulu's behavior is wrong, nor does it imply that her whining and her tantrum are justified. Romance: The Six of Crows duology (Wylan and Jesper, Nina and Matthias), also the Good Omens TV series if they count as a romance :D 1 on 1 friendships: Good Omens (the TV series: I haven't read the book), and I also love the ones Merphy mentioned. Group friendships: The Lies of Locke Lamora is my favorite, and I also like the Raven Boys, and the Losers' Club in IT (haven't read the book yet - I am planning to - but they were amazing in the movie).
LOLL had one of the best beginnings I’ve read. Immediately establishes characters, their method of crime, time jumps.... It has it all. Also Mr Mercedes really throws you into the story....shudder Edit: Also, what streaming service is avatar on?
If you’re looking for a good female friendship in a book, might I suggest The Alice Network by Kate Quinn? It’s a historical fiction based around female espionage in WW1 or 2 (I can’t remember which) and the main women are so so good and love each other so so much. They would do anything for each other and we get to see it grow over the plot of the book. It’s a great book :)
Joe Abercrombie's Shattered Sea Trilogy has amazing characters, a complicated and surprising villain and a fantastic ending. Thorn is one of my favorite female characters ever.
If you like friendships you should try My Brilliant Friend! It’s the first book in an italian series, and it follows two friends, Lenu and Lila, throughout their lifes! I think it’s very interesting to see their dinamic.
I really love the relationships formed by Charles Dickens. You can tell he was seeking to push people beyond the bounaries of “class” or whatever to form true friendships with people. You can see it in Pip and Joe, David Copperfield and the sailor guy t name a few. Would have been ground breaking at the time.
In regards to villians, I highly, highly recommend the Broken Empire trilogy by Mark Lawrence . Jorg is just..awful, but the trilogy stayed with me years after I finished. His character growth is 👌
from the title, I thought this would be about when authors give book recommendations in interviews - like how some just recommend books written by people they’re friends with, etc. Regardless of that, great video. I actually took out a pen and paper to write all these down! 😅 thanks!
Okay, for romance, I recommend the movie Her hands down. Do not like the genre, but this movie captivated me with its sci-fi and what it means to love as a theme as this lonely man falls in love with an AI. It’s on Netflix for those who are interested and Joaquin Phoenix’s best movie.
So sorry Merphy, I'm about a month behind in your videos. This month has been pretty crazy so far, I think for more people than just me. But I have begun catching up on all of your videos! Love this video, keep 'em comin'!
Okay, I'm gonna be cheeky because I noticed you mentioned manga, comics, and an anime, so I'm gonna refer you to two of the best villains ever, both of which are in video games. (That's why this is cheeky) Rafe Adler from Uncharted 4, the best villain with the best reason for being how he is. You cannot help but love the ever-loving-fluff outta him because they made him so perfect. And Sephiroth (both classic and Remake) from Final Fantasy VII. Bumped to second place in my "best villains of all time" after Uncharted 4, but still awesome in his own right. As for friendships, you can never go wrong with the brother/friend dynamic of Sam and Nathan Drake in Uncharted 4 (yes I am as obsessed with this game and the characters in it as you are with Lies of Locke Lamora, which I hope to read soon) And the MCs in Final Fantasy XV if you want true "I'd die for you" friendship. Okay, cheekiness is over. If you want a great manga/anime full of awesome villains and a twisted sort of friendship (demon butler and his Master where you don't know if they're tsundere friends, master-servant, or something else even though you know they care for each other in some way) then I'd suggest Black Butler (or its original title Kuroshitsuji) which is a gripping mystery series in Victorian England and deals with the supernatural world. As for books? I can't really think of any that have hit me so hard friendship or villain wise. I can think of masses of (side) characters that I love, but to say those books that they came from were the end all be all??? All I can suggest us "the Host" by Stephenie Meyer, because even though there will likely never be a sequel it is the one book I read and reread as if new because the story and characters are so gripping and her description of the world is so beautifully done that I can see it so perfectly it's like I popped on a movie, because never once in all the times that I've read it do I see it in a different way. (The actual movie, btw, sucks in comparison because they ignored every great thing about the book.) Okay, that's my novella done and posted. If you read this far and didn't just skip to the end, thank you. If not, I understand. 😁✌
Hi Merphy! I've been watching your videos for a while, but am just now commenting. I love this Dear Authors series, and I love how used the series to make recommendations that I haven't even heard of! Death Note is talked about everywhere, and I just need to try it now! I'm reading The Count of Monte Cristo right now! That makes me even more excited! Jonathan Strange sounds interesting! I watched Sanderson talk at Yallfest, and you can just tell he cares so much about the craft. That story about writing the girl just proves that to me! I need to watch Avatar! Romance isn't my genre either, I don't know why, I only like it if it's a subplot and not the main aspect of the book - and it also is portrayed well! Calvin and Hobbes lol!
Calvin and Hobbes caught me by surprise, but in the best way. I need to read The Gentlemen Bastards now since you somehow think they have a better friendship than my boys C&H
I was *beyond* happy when you mentioned Calvin and Hobbes, I didn’t expect it at all. Easily my favorite comic series and it was a big part of my childhood.
One book where I really liked the villains (well, in particular the henchmen) was Neverwhere by Neil Gaiman. There’s something about those two and their mannerisms that make me terrified at the thought of running into them in a dark alley, but at the same time fascinates me while reading the scenes they appear in.
Friendships: I love the dynamics of the group in the Drizzt books, and the different relationships they have with each other. Villains: Kraken by China Mieville. Goss and Subby are pretty much the only villains who have given me literal chills. Trope subversion: I feel like Rin in the Poppy War subverts the "rags to riches" trope - she does start at rags, but although she undoubtedly escapes that, her journey doesn't seem to be going in the "riches" direction!
The Count is an anti-hero, I sympathize with him and root for him even when he is becoming cruel. Dorian Grey is a villain protagonist. He’s never an underdog or wronged and I never sympathize with him, root for him, or regret his overdue comeuppance.
@@timswabb I am pretty sure the count is just a hero. Classically an anti hero was a cowardly schemer. Physical Bravery was the primary attribute of a hero, not sainthood. Lancelot was a hero and he cucked his best friend
@@robertblume2951 Anti-hero: a protagonist who lacks conventional heroic attributes. the fact that they haven't done heroics things is the whole point of anti hero. Villain: a character whose evil actions or motives are important to the plot. Villains aren't main characters.
@@timswabb "Indeed he is. On the face of it, Dorian has all the qualities you'd normally associate with a traditional hero. Young, handsome, and full of vitality, we could easily imagine him performing all manner of heroic deeds; and we'd gladly cheer him on, too. But that's not how Dorian behaves-far from it. Because there's nothing remotely heroic about committing murder, driving someone to suicide, or engaging in the kind of debauchery that becomes Dorian's way of life. The potential for heroism in this remarkable young man may well be there, but at no point in the story is it ever realized. Yet despite it all, he still remains very much the story's protagonist, which in literary terms is one of the anti-hero's main components." www.enotes.com/homework-help/can-some-one-explain-me-dorian-grey-antihero-103749
The amount of times Merphy mentions The Gentlemen Bastards would have you think she's trolling, but nope... she just REALLY loves them that much. Damn, I need to read that series finally.
Best Villain: Maybe it's because I recently reread this book but the Baron Harkonnen from the first Dune book. He is greedy, spiteful, and vicious. But also cunning, patient, and manipulative. Best Beginnings: The start of We Are Legion (We Are Bob) just gets me. I feel like I know Bob. Like I could be standing in line at Con right next to him.
Every time you say you love friendships, which is quite a lot, I’m going to recommend Patrick O’Brian’s Aubrey/Maturin series. All the books function as stand alone novels but if you read the entire series you will experience the evolution of one of the best friendships in fiction.
Merphy: says she does not have many good romance recs Also Merphy: is sitting right in front of all the Jane Austen novels and just talked about North and South...
I'm so happy you mentioned the death note. I haven't read the manga but I want to, but I am in the middle of watching the show. I agree totally that Light is not a good person but you can't help rooting for him. Also, personally my favorite character is L.
I feel like Jadis/The White Witch in the Narnia books is actually a pretty solid villian. Obviously, the stories are written in a fairytale fashion, so she's not this incredibly complex character, but if you read the whole series she winds up pretty well rounded I think. Because it's a children's book, you are GENUINELY frightened by her in The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe. She is scary. But if you read her origin story in The Magician's Nephew, she gets caught between being ridiculously cold-blooded and horrifying, but also so ridiculous that she's hilarious and very enjoyable to read about because she just is so horrible in such a comedic way.
If you want books with a strong female friendship I'd highly recommend Dread Nation and Deathless Divide by Justina Ireland! The two main characters start out as arc enemies and turn into one of the best friendships I've ever read about in any book between two females. Added bonus: There's on page anxiety and ace representation :) Fair warning tho, they are zombie books so there's a lot of gore and violence so maybe consider staying away if you're really squemish
One book series that I do think does the ending well in the sense of you can tell the author had things planned out from the start and knew where the ending was going to be and where the characters were going to be at the end is The Raven Cycle series
Can you recommend some standalone books? I often find myself stuck in the middle of a series, waiting to get the next book from the library, and just wanting a book that isn't a series that I could read while I wait. I don't want to commit myself to a series when I'm already in the middle of one already. So if you have any recommendations, I would love to see what standalone books I could try.
By far the best friendship I've read was from Super Powereds series by Drew Hayes between Vince and Nick. Its an amazing series about people learning to become superheroes and what that means mixed with a coming of age story for the 5 main characters.
I read And Every Morning the Way Home gets Longer and Longer on Father's Day which was honestly a terrible idea. I cried so much. I hadn't cried over a book like that since I was 12.
You know, the more I think about Death Note, the less I find myself liking this series. I mean, it's extremely good for 9 episodes/2 volumes, but then L starts acting very strange, and then the show just breaks with the appearance of Near and Mello. Dear author, you should have gone with just Mello. If you want to see an incredible villain in anime/manga form I will once again suggest checking out The Promised Neverland - it has both an amazing villain, amazing friendship and story. The manga has just finished and even though the newest arcs weren't as good as the first ones, I would still call it an incredible series. Also, it doesn't just have man-man or woman-woman friendships. Another recommendation would be March Comes in Like a Lion. An incredible story about a high schooler who is a professional shogi player. It's basically a slice of life, so the characters are more realistic than in most of the anime or manga, and I think that's why this series hits so hard. You immediately attach to the characters because of how real they are. Besides, here you have another example of strong and lovely friendships. It's also worth noting that despite being, let's say, "sports anime", this series doesn't have a true villain. There are some assholes here and there, but you wouldn't call them villains or even rivals.
I don't see Johnathan Strange and Mr Norrell recommended that often. I got about halfway through that one and then lost my copy! (This was like 15 years ago. I really should just get another copy...)
Merphy, have you ever read the Alanna the Lioness books by Tamora Pierce? They're directed toward a younger audience, but they (and the majority of the follow-up books) are some of the best fantasy books I've ever read, and still hold up as an adult.
For good endings I recommend the Divine Cities Trilogy by Robert Jackson Bennett (unfornuately I don't feel the same about his Founders series) and Arc of A Scythe Trilogy by Neal Shusterman.
![Dear Authors... Stabby, Stabby [CC]](/img/n.gif)
This feels like the dear authors season finale. Can’t wait for season 2 to begin.
I hope we get more episodes in season 2
You are so right! It does feel that way. 🙂
Nice! This idea adds a dramatic effect to it
@@pretendtheresaname9213 Haha! Same!
Same
Merphy: Friendships, I'm gonna surpise you...
Me: Is she not going to talk about Locke and Jean?!?
Merphy: Locke and Jean!
Me: Pheww that was close!
Jajaja same
I think it would be cool to see a Dear Authors on Re- imaginings. Like what things people love and hate to see in newer interpretations on fairy-tales and other public domain classics.
Love this!
Ok, this NEEDS to happen!!!!!
Please do a dear authors: side plots
lmao here's a fun drinking game:
Binge Merphy's videos and take a shot every time she gushes about Locke and Jean's friendship. Good luck even being coherent at the end of the night.
You right tho, thanks for convincing me to pick up The Gentlemen Bastards.
What age would you recommend The Lies of Locke Lamora is for?
@@sophiaanna7458 I read it (17 years old) but I also enjoy "adult" books more than "YA". I certainly had no issues with it though. It's not that graphic (only one or too scenes comes to mind (violent)) though there is a lot of bad language so if you don't like that it might not be for you. The tone overall is rather lighthearted in my opinion, although the world and conditions can be rather grim. I've read both Mistborn (all 3) and I'm currently reading the Way of Kings and I think that it is on a similar level. (mistborn is rather dark if you actually think about it and WoK surprised me a bit with how violent/gross a scene was (was something with an eye and injury) as I didn't expect such graphicness from Sanderson (coming from only having read mistborn). (also I've watched GoT if that helps you visualize my "tolerance" for graphicness, and wasn't put off by it). If your reading is similar to mine I don't think you would have much problems with The Lies of Locke Lamora. As for age, I think it's difficult to recommend to someone too young as it isn't the most child friendly. Also, I found The Lies of Locke Lamora a little difficult to read in the beginning (I'm not english so that may have contributed a lot) but I got used to Scott Lynch's writing style rather quickly. Sorry for such a scatterbrained post, I just wanted to paint a "clear" (i hope) picture. I hope it helped, it really is a good book. :D
Please don't do that. I care too much about your safety
Merphy Napier
I can and will, and that is a threat
Dear authors, trilogies
Maybe you've already made a Dear Authors-video about this but HUMOUR/DIALOGUE! I think it's a huge part of my enjoyment of a book! Making me smile at their with, their jokes, sarcasm etc. is so important. It's very individual so maybe it isn't the best for a video though? I certainly enjoy Wit, Locke & Jean, Kabsal & Shallan, Shallan & Jasnah and so on..... (still only on WoK so don't spoil :D). Or maybe make a video discussing POV:s? Sometimes balancing POV:s in the wrong way can make me hate a character that I actually like which is very sad.
Dear authors: Siblings
As an aspiring author i need this 🗿
Just don't have them constantly refer to each other as siblings when talking to each other, because siblings don't need to be reminded all the time.
Don't try to make your sibling dynamic relatable to everyone. Sibling dynamics vary vastly between different households. I have two sisters myself, one older and one younger, and we always get on each other's nerves.
We can literally be happy watching tv one minute, arguing about absolutely nothing, dispersing into different rooms, then make up an hour later without ever apologizing.
We don't constantly say we love each other like you see in movies. In fact, we show our affection by insulting one another (we try never to curse, so we've made up a few insults that make absolutely no sense, like "duckway" and "jumbanaut") and coming up with theories about how my older sister was adopted, I was switched at birth, and my younger sister was taken by scientists for a bit and had genetic experiments done on her that turned her into some sort of human-fish-lemur hybrid.
It's a weird sibling dynamic, but that works for us. We're pretty close in age, so my older sister never new how life was like as an only child. This is a key factor in our relationship.
I have friends who are a very new at being older siblings, so for a brief moment in time they brag about how they'll be a big brother/sister and how much fun they'll have. After that baby turns two or three, they start praying that their sibling gets kidnapped because they want to go back to the happy days where they were once an only child.
No matter the age difference, there is dominance when it comes to age (at least in most sibling dynamics I've observed). Younger siblings will calculate the exact age difference (to the second) between them and their older sibling if it means taking away some of that dominance. My older sister always mentions how she's two years older, to which I reply with an exact difference (which is less than two years). On the other handle, older siblings will use an exact age difference to assert dominance.
I guess what I'm trying to say in this REALLY long comment (sorry about that) is that sibling dynamics differ a lot. There's a huge difference between siblings who are two years apart and siblings who are ten years apart, and if you are going to write a story about siblings, this crucial fact needs to be throughly investigated.
@@alexanderwheeler3943 Thank you for taking the time to respond, and your advise has been noted 😅 no 'little sis/bro'
@@longliveplanetawesome3223 Wow, thank you for taking the time to write this out and honestly, thank you! It has given me some assurance with the unpredictable dynamic siblings tend to have, but also some pointers 🤔 The age difference bit will help with my middle child, I feel he is a bit bland but I guess he'd exert dominance even more so to his younger brother because that's currently happening to him with the eldest sibling. The age differences are small (roughly a year or two) so I guess they'll be more rivalry? Something happens in the beginning with the older brother and middle one (older brother does this ritual on the middle brother [it basically is grabbing a knife a carving these scales into someone for honour] but his intention is screwed because he does it during a fight and not with the right motive) I don't know whether they can come back from this or if the little brother would also have his relationship affected by this? But thank you!
I am an identical twin so my sibling experience may be a tad different, but I thought I could weigh in on sibling dynamic when the siblings are very close in age. My sister and I are best friends, but that isn't the case for all twins. I knew a boy who was a bit resentful of his twin since many people kept comparing him to his brother and treating the two like a unit rather than two separate people. Comparing happens to all siblings but when your age is very close sibling rivalry is common. I think that when siblings are close in age it is natural for one or both to try to seem more distinct. For example, by the time my sister and I entered middle school we tried really hard to have people see us as individuals rather than "a set". We adopted different styles of dress, hair, tried to get involved in separate activities etc. This is on a more humorous note, but my family and close friends have no problem telling my sister and I apart. Anyway didn't mean for my comment to go on for too long, even if twins are not in your work in any shape or form, I hope this was somewhat helpful for when siblings are fairly close in age. Good luck with your writing! :)
That has to be Merphy's favorite sweater.
I wear it WAY too much
Been writing a book, finished the rough draft, did some meticulous editing, and just paid for a cover art. I feel like I might have to start back at square one depending on how this goes.
Good luck with it. What genre will it be?
Just told myself, "I wonder if Merphy has a new video up?" Opened UA-cam to see this posted 10 mins ago! Joy!
Damn the rec for friendship REALLY surprised me 😂
Side note: I’ve picked up lies of Locke Lamora because of you and I can’t wait to start
A great friendship that I don’t think gets enough credit are Fezzik and Inigo Montoya in The a Princess Bride. Which is also a book. Love it
Hard agree!
Ahh I’m so glad you mentioned death note. Light’s character arc is incredible. On the anime/manga track, I think you would love attack on titan. It has some of the best character arcs, plot twists and world building I’ve ever seen.
ps. I finally picked up gentlemen bastards cuz of you :))
AOT is great
Please do, Dear Authors, Conversations
The Picture of Dorian Gray is wild! I wasn't expecting it to be so crazy as a classic lol.
Hey Merphy! I also frequently struggle with romance in books... I think it's because I find often in romance authors rely on miscommunication to provide some conflict to their romance stories and I just don't enjoy that, either in life or fiction xD I find myself going "just talk about it!!!!"
I think "Uprooted" by Naomi Novik has one of my favourite friendships in fantasy and it's between women: Kasia and Agnieszka
Merphy: best friendships, I'm gonna suprise u w/ this one
Me: oh okay
Merphy: Locke and jaque!
Me:oh okay, I see what did there...
Jaque?
Wrong name but rhymes hahaha
Oh sorry, 😅 didn't actually read the books yet...
I'm about halfway through The Lies of Locke Lamora right now. I'm loving it, and Merphy's enthusiasm makes me very excited for what's to come.
One of my favorite friendships is Thorne and Cinder.
I loved so much that they were a hetero girl and guy but stayed best friends and nothing else.
Didn't they become a couple though?
Dear Authur: Young children
As an author, Fantasy specifically, and though my voice is obscure, I do find everything you say and talk about to be very helpful, regardless if its a "Dear Authors" video. Thank you.
Dear Authors, may I highly recommend with regards to the craft of writing fiction, Make A Scene by Jordan Rosenfeld. It was the book which inspired me to complete the first major overhaul of my novel. Filled with practical and specific advice, Make A Scene is what I consider to be a must have source book for writing. Now my copy is completely filled with underlines, highlights, notes and dog ears. Perhaps that is a sin to some, but it spurred me on over the course of many years to see the story through to its completion.
As for exciting villains: I am absolutely obsessed with Maven from Red Queen. He broke my heart many times and also gave me the most joy of all the characters.
I feel like my answer for almost all of these is somewhere in the Queen's Thief series.
Like, favorite main character- Gen is so freaking great and you learn more about him and his personality every book! He keeps surprising you! romance- subtle and slow and mainly from the perspective of outsiders, friendships!!!! So many dynamics!!!, kinda redemption arcs? You just realize they're not as bad as you thought? It's a gradual revealing of characters' true motive and feelings! Favorite beginnings- the first book The Theif specifically, magic system because it's just gods and goddesses, magic isn't accessible to the characters we know and love
Ending!!! Holy crap she does that so well!! Every book is like wait what!
I'm sorry I just love Megan Whalen Turner so dang much
I adore Eugenides! 😍 He's right near the top of my "best characters EVER" list.
Completely Agree!
I really liked this video!
One of my favourite endings of all time: Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini (also one of my favourite books ever, so...). It is difficult to talk about why an ending is good whithout spoilers, so I'll just say that I felt it was very true to the story and charecters, without being to soapy or unbelievable.
Romance: haven't read a lot of it lately, but I looooved "Tell me Three Things" when I read it. One of my favourite YA contemporaries.
Characters: probably in the Farseer Trilogy that I'm reading right now.
The Kite Runner, a thousand times over
I love Locke and Jean so much too (also kudos on that pronunciation hehe), their friendship is so entertaining to read about. It also helps that the plots of those books are always so well written and exciting, we need book 4, we really do
Hi Merphy! What do you think about "Dear Authors: War" or "Dear Authors: Violence"?
as an author in progress, I greatly appreciate these Dear Authors videos! Although I read and feel similar if not the same about all these topics like overdone tropes and everything, it's reassuring to know that others feel the same. Now if only I can successfully publish my book that doesn't include any overdone tropes/anything readers have complained about in the past lol
Hi Merph , speaking of recs , I recently picked up a book called The City We Became by N.K Jemison. Not sure if you heard of it , but I really enjoyed it . It is a very lovely fantasy that I enjoyed from start to end , although it was a bit confusing . I would also like to hear your thoughts on it ☺ .
I’ve just bought this book. Only one chapter in and you’ve encouraged me to keep going.
Can you do a bookshelf tour some time again? I see some beautiful new editions to your collection and I really want to know which ones they are... like the beautiful pink and white books next to Peter Pan? 😍
The white ones are Jane Austen books. The pink books I believe - the Little women series
👆🏻
Lost Schedule thank you!!
This is a bit of a deviation in media form, but since you brought up Avatar
'A Picture of Dorian Gray', along with a Gordon Korman book, were the last two books I checked out of my local library before it closed down. I've skimmed it, but haven't really started reading it yet.
Is there a Death Note novelization? Or is it the manga you're reading?
There's some instances of the villain being the protagonist or (deuteragonist?). The Silverwing series comes to mind, along with the Harry Potter fanfiction, 'The Imposter Complex'.
I'd like to see some dear authors videos on great moments in bad stories or bad moments in great stories. Or what we'd do to improve a story
Here are some of my favorites:
Tropes I hate done right (not what you were talking about, but I wanted to add this one): Rebecca!
I hate when the main character is an anxious, needy, well-intentioned girl, and this book pulled it off soooooo well! All the characters were twisted, including the 'innocent' main character, and her anxiety was written well but exaggerated enough that it wasn't too upsetting to read either. I liked how she was an unreliable narrator and had actual flaws. Rebecca also does things in the first chapter that would normally be a bad way to write a first chapter (starting with a dream, and writing endless descriptions of flowers), and instead of making it boring, it actually creates an oppressive atmosphere which works well for the story!
Main characters: Light from Death Note, Locke from The Lies of Locke Lamora, Lulu from Lulu and the Flying Babies.
The last one is a children's picture book (which normally do NOT have interesting characters) and I am quite picky about main characters and I'm still impressed by its characterization. The book shows Lulu whining in a funny and accurate way, and then throwing a tantrum in an equally kid-like way, and does not pick a side. It doesn't imply that Lulu's behavior is wrong, nor does it imply that her whining and her tantrum are justified.
Romance: The Six of Crows duology (Wylan and Jesper, Nina and Matthias), also the Good Omens TV series if they count as a romance :D
1 on 1 friendships: Good Omens (the TV series: I haven't read the book), and I also love the ones Merphy mentioned.
Group friendships: The Lies of Locke Lamora is my favorite, and I also like the Raven Boys, and the Losers' Club in IT (haven't read the book yet - I am planning to - but they were amazing in the movie).
LOLL had one of the best beginnings I’ve read. Immediately establishes characters, their method of crime, time jumps.... It has it all.
Also Mr Mercedes really throws you into the story....shudder
Edit: Also, what streaming service is avatar on?
WWFix it’s on Netflix now
When you have nothing much to add, so you just say Hii Merphy.😋
Hi!
Your final selection made me happy! OK...All of them did, but especially the last one! C & H are truly an iconic friendship for the ages!
If you’re looking for a good female friendship in a book, might I suggest The Alice Network by Kate Quinn? It’s a historical fiction based around female espionage in WW1 or 2 (I can’t remember which) and the main women are so so good and love each other so so much. They would do anything for each other and we get to see it grow over the plot of the book. It’s a great book :)
Ok fine, fine, fine. Merphy, you've said it so much I'll finally break down. On my next purge for books on Amazon, I'll buy The Lies of Locke Lamora
Joe Abercrombie's Shattered Sea Trilogy has amazing characters, a complicated and surprising villain and a fantastic ending. Thorn is one of my favorite female characters ever.
If you like friendships you should try My Brilliant Friend! It’s the first book in an italian series, and it follows two friends, Lenu and Lila, throughout their lifes! I think it’s very interesting to see their dinamic.
I really love the relationships formed by Charles Dickens. You can tell he was seeking to push people beyond the bounaries of “class” or whatever to form true friendships with people. You can see it in Pip and Joe, David Copperfield and the sailor guy t name a few. Would have been ground breaking at the time.
I feel like you will mention the Locke book until I read it.
So it's on tbr 😂
In regards to villians, I highly, highly recommend the Broken Empire trilogy by Mark Lawrence . Jorg is just..awful, but the trilogy stayed with me years after I finished. His character growth is 👌
from the title, I thought this would be about when authors give book recommendations in interviews - like how some just recommend books written by people they’re friends with, etc.
Regardless of that, great video. I actually took out a pen and paper to write all these down! 😅 thanks!
Thanks for this whole dear author series , helps me alot, I am trying to write a book .
i'm so happy that you mentioned calvin and hobbes... it was probably the most influential thing i've ever encountered
Okay, for romance, I recommend the movie Her hands down. Do not like the genre, but this movie captivated me with its sci-fi and what it means to love as a theme as this lonely man falls in love with an AI. It’s on Netflix for those who are interested and Joaquin Phoenix’s best movie.
I love your dear authors videos :) They're how I found your channel and I'm so glad I did! :D
So sorry Merphy, I'm about a month behind in your videos. This month has been pretty crazy so far, I think for more people than just me. But I have begun catching up on all of your videos!
Love this video, keep 'em comin'!
Okay, I'm gonna be cheeky because I noticed you mentioned manga, comics, and an anime, so I'm gonna refer you to two of the best villains ever, both of which are in video games. (That's why this is cheeky)
Rafe Adler from Uncharted 4, the best villain with the best reason for being how he is. You cannot help but love the ever-loving-fluff outta him because they made him so perfect.
And Sephiroth (both classic and Remake) from Final Fantasy VII. Bumped to second place in my "best villains of all time" after Uncharted 4, but still awesome in his own right.
As for friendships, you can never go wrong with the brother/friend dynamic of Sam and Nathan Drake in Uncharted 4 (yes I am as obsessed with this game and the characters in it as you are with Lies of Locke Lamora, which I hope to read soon)
And the MCs in Final Fantasy XV if you want true "I'd die for you" friendship.
Okay, cheekiness is over.
If you want a great manga/anime full of awesome villains and a twisted sort of friendship (demon butler and his Master where you don't know if they're tsundere friends, master-servant, or something else even though you know they care for each other in some way) then I'd suggest Black Butler (or its original title Kuroshitsuji) which is a gripping mystery series in Victorian England and deals with the supernatural world.
As for books? I can't really think of any that have hit me so hard friendship or villain wise. I can think of masses of (side) characters that I love, but to say those books that they came from were the end all be all???
All I can suggest us "the Host" by Stephenie Meyer, because even though there will likely never be a sequel it is the one book I read and reread as if new because the story and characters are so gripping and her description of the world is so beautifully done that I can see it so perfectly it's like I popped on a movie, because never once in all the times that I've read it do I see it in a different way. (The actual movie, btw, sucks in comparison because they ignored every great thing about the book.)
Okay, that's my novella done and posted. If you read this far and didn't just skip to the end, thank you. If not, I understand. 😁✌
Off topic, but I had great fun watching my kitten go crazy over your moving hands and trying to catch your scrunchie. 😂 Fun video btw! 🙈
Hi Merphy! I've been watching your videos for a while, but am just now commenting. I love this Dear Authors series, and I love how used the series to make recommendations that I haven't even heard of! Death Note is talked about everywhere, and I just need to try it now! I'm reading The Count of Monte Cristo right now! That makes me even more excited! Jonathan Strange sounds interesting! I watched Sanderson talk at Yallfest, and you can just tell he cares so much about the craft. That story about writing the girl just proves that to me! I need to watch Avatar! Romance isn't my genre either, I don't know why, I only like it if it's a subplot and not the main aspect of the book - and it also is portrayed well! Calvin and Hobbes lol!
Calvin and Hobbes caught me by surprise, but in the best way. I need to read The Gentlemen Bastards now since you somehow think they have a better friendship than my boys C&H
I feel that I haven't read enough to give any recommendation😂 I'll try to read through my shelf instead of watching videos on youtube all day long!
On the subject of book recs, I want the best of friends turned into out-for-blood enemies! (That's not Vicious, tho I still liked that book!)
I just love the way you speak about books ❤
I was *beyond* happy when you mentioned Calvin and Hobbes, I didn’t expect it at all. Easily my favorite comic series and it was a big part of my childhood.
One book where I really liked the villains (well, in particular the henchmen) was Neverwhere by Neil Gaiman. There’s something about those two and their mannerisms that make me terrified at the thought of running into them in a dark alley, but at the same time fascinates me while reading the scenes they appear in.
Friendships: I love the dynamics of the group in the Drizzt books, and the different relationships they have with each other.
Villains: Kraken by China Mieville. Goss and Subby are pretty much the only villains who have given me literal chills.
Trope subversion: I feel like Rin in the Poppy War subverts the "rags to riches" trope - she does start at rags, but although she undoubtedly escapes that, her journey doesn't seem to be going in the "riches" direction!
You should do an author tier ranking!
Thank you for links to books mentioned - such a treat among booktubers!
Most of the villains you mentioned are antiheroes, not villains (Death Note, The Count of Monte Cristo, The Picture of Dorian Gray)
No those are villains. What heroic act has Dorian Grey or Lord Henry Woten ever done?
The Count is an anti-hero, I sympathize with him and root for him even when he is becoming cruel. Dorian Grey is a villain protagonist. He’s never an underdog or wronged and I never sympathize with him, root for him, or regret his overdue comeuppance.
@@timswabb I am pretty sure the count is just a hero. Classically an anti hero was a cowardly schemer. Physical Bravery was the primary attribute of a hero, not sainthood. Lancelot was a hero and he cucked his best friend
@@robertblume2951 Anti-hero: a protagonist who lacks conventional heroic attributes. the fact that they haven't done heroics things is the whole point of anti hero. Villain: a character whose evil actions or motives are important to the plot. Villains aren't main characters.
@@timswabb "Indeed he is. On the face of it, Dorian has all the qualities you'd normally associate with a traditional hero. Young, handsome, and full of vitality, we could easily imagine him performing all manner of heroic deeds; and we'd gladly cheer him on, too.
But that's not how Dorian behaves-far from it. Because there's nothing remotely heroic about committing murder, driving someone to suicide, or engaging in the kind of debauchery that becomes Dorian's way of life.
The potential for heroism in this remarkable young man may well be there, but at no point in the story is it ever realized. Yet despite it all, he still remains very much the story's protagonist, which in literary terms is one of the anti-hero's main components." www.enotes.com/homework-help/can-some-one-explain-me-dorian-grey-antihero-103749
Calvin and Hobbes is the absolute best! Love that you included it!
The amount of times Merphy mentions The Gentlemen Bastards would have you think she's trolling, but nope... she just REALLY loves them that much.
Damn, I need to read that series finally.
Best Villain: Maybe it's because I recently reread this book but the Baron Harkonnen from the first Dune book. He is greedy, spiteful, and vicious. But also cunning, patient, and manipulative.
Best Beginnings: The start of We Are Legion (We Are Bob) just gets me. I feel like I know Bob. Like I could be standing in line at Con right next to him.
Every time you say you love friendships, which is quite a lot, I’m going to recommend Patrick O’Brian’s Aubrey/Maturin series. All the books function as stand alone novels but if you read the entire series you will experience the evolution of one of the best friendships in fiction.
Merphy: says she does not have many good romance recs
Also Merphy: is sitting right in front of all the Jane Austen novels and just talked about North and South...
You, Elliot Brooks and Daniel keep my going through the week at work... love your videos so much.
I'm so happy you mentioned the death note. I haven't read the manga but I want to, but I am in the middle of watching the show. I agree totally that Light is not a good person but you can't help rooting for him. Also, personally my favorite character is L.
Merphy, I would love to see you do a deep dive analysis of LITTLE WOMEN.
I feel like Jadis/The White Witch in the Narnia books is actually a pretty solid villian. Obviously, the stories are written in a fairytale fashion, so she's not this incredibly complex character, but if you read the whole series she winds up pretty well rounded I think. Because it's a children's book, you are GENUINELY frightened by her in The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe. She is scary. But if you read her origin story in The Magician's Nephew, she gets caught between being ridiculously cold-blooded and horrifying, but also so ridiculous that she's hilarious and very enjoyable to read about because she just is so horrible in such a comedic way.
If you want books with a strong female friendship I'd highly recommend Dread Nation and Deathless Divide by Justina Ireland! The two main characters start out as arc enemies and turn into one of the best friendships I've ever read about in any book between two females. Added bonus: There's on page anxiety and ace representation :) Fair warning tho, they are zombie books so there's a lot of gore and violence so maybe consider staying away if you're really squemish
One book series that I do think does the ending well in the sense of you can tell the author had things planned out from the start and knew where the ending was going to be and where the characters were going to be at the end is The Raven Cycle series
Best friends: Gus and Captain Call from Lonesome Dove. They annoy they heck out of each other, but they are beyond loyal. They make the book.
You are so dang creative when it comes to your videos! I'm so curious to see what you come up with next. 😁
I was obsessed with Calvin and Hobbs as a kid! I used to get their comic omnibus books from the scholastic book fair back in elementary school!
Can you recommend some standalone books? I often find myself stuck in the middle of a series, waiting to get the next book from the library, and just wanting a book that isn't a series that I could read while I wait. I don't want to commit myself to a series when I'm already in the middle of one already. So if you have any recommendations, I would love to see what standalone books I could try.
Dear Readers, Watch This
I already bought The Lies Of Locke Lamora set, stop convincing me to read them!
I would class the Jane Austen books as excellent Romances as they are witty and fun as well as showing romantic relationships
I'm excited to try a few of these books mentioned that I haven't read, once I complete Malazan (~27% done so far).
By far the best friendship I've read was from Super Powereds series by Drew Hayes between Vince and Nick. Its an amazing series about people learning to become superheroes and what that means mixed with a coming of age story for the 5 main characters.
I LOVE Calvin and Hobbes. I have that same boxed set. I was Calvin as a child.
I read And Every Morning the Way Home gets Longer and Longer on Father's Day which was honestly a terrible idea.
I cried so much. I hadn't cried over a book like that since I was 12.
in redemption arcs i would recommend dark tower , eddie's arc is fantastic in my opinion
Calvin and Hobbes actually suprised me...but I totally agree and now want to re-read those comics
I would highly highly recommend the Book of the Ancestor trilogy, it’s so so good
I loved Calvin and Hobbes when I was younger and it's so cool to see someone else who loves it too
You know, the more I think about Death Note, the less I find myself liking this series. I mean, it's extremely good for 9 episodes/2 volumes, but then L starts acting very strange, and then the show just breaks with the appearance of Near and Mello. Dear author, you should have gone with just Mello. If you want to see an incredible villain in anime/manga form I will once again suggest checking out The Promised Neverland - it has both an amazing villain, amazing friendship and story. The manga has just finished and even though the newest arcs weren't as good as the first ones, I would still call it an incredible series. Also, it doesn't just have man-man or woman-woman friendships.
Another recommendation would be March Comes in Like a Lion. An incredible story about a high schooler who is a professional shogi player. It's basically a slice of life, so the characters are more realistic than in most of the anime or manga, and I think that's why this series hits so hard. You immediately attach to the characters because of how real they are. Besides, here you have another example of strong and lovely friendships. It's also worth noting that despite being, let's say, "sports anime", this series doesn't have a true villain. There are some assholes here and there, but you wouldn't call them villains or even rivals.
I don't see Johnathan Strange and Mr Norrell recommended that often. I got about halfway through that one and then lost my copy! (This was like 15 years ago. I really should just get another copy...)
Merphy, have you ever read the Alanna the Lioness books by Tamora Pierce? They're directed toward a younger audience, but they (and the majority of the follow-up books) are some of the best fantasy books I've ever read, and still hold up as an adult.
Also, I’ve been reading a book series called the wheel of time. Would you recommend it for young adults?
The BookLovers Pizza she's read it it recently it's those books under Peter Pan and next to Lord of the rings
For sure!
Best Guilty Pleasure Read - ACOTAR. So trashy and over-dramatic and I am embarrassed to admit I really love this series.
For good endings I recommend the Divine Cities Trilogy by Robert Jackson Bennett (unfornuately I don't feel the same about his Founders series) and Arc of A Scythe Trilogy by Neal Shusterman.
Who says family can't be friends?
The First Law Trilogy has a great villain, but I can’t say more without spoilers.
This is such a good video. I absolutely LOVE Death Note!! Thanks for the awesome recs.
Rage of Dragons sounds so good o.O I hate info dumps so I want this BAD