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Kakashi Hatake Wrote:My first Book Club post, so apologies if I messed this up. Obvious spoilers follow.

[spoiler]The Face of Your Father

So, I’ve never played Borderlands, but this thread made me really want to go buy it. And it wasn’t JUST the epic battle at the end though it certainly didn’t hurt =P. Even though I’ve had no real exposure to the games or similar media (still haven’t seen Fury Road yet, I get the idea that it would have the same vibe), the descriptions of the bandits (especially BWNN) painted a clear picture in my mind of a gang of ultra-violent marauders pillaging the desert.

Character-wise, I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention how fantastic is was to see Book in this thread. I had seen that Thaal had NPC’d him, but for some reason it took me completely off-guard (in the best way). And it needs saying that Thaal captured his kind of ‘humble kindness’ perfectly. As for Caret, not sure if you two were trying to make me think of Kaylee, but that’s definitely how I saw her (but redhead). Eighteen’s dialogue especially made me laugh and imagine it in her voice (“last I checked, sheets aren’t really in season”).

I really liked the dynamic that Caret and BWNN had throughout; despite how different they were, they got along like sisters. It was interesting to see BWNN as more of an ‘honorable’ bandit if that makes sense. She could have easily jumped Book and Caret when she got better and robbed them blind, but instead she took Caret (and some snacks) under her wing. I got the feeling that giving Caret control of the turret, especially with BWNN having the history she’s had, was really a big show of trust. Hell, I think trust in any form is not something she’s used to. Also, I appreciated the Starcraft reference. =P

The battle at the camp was brilliantly done. I got a real gladiator vibe when the two squared off, with the bandits showing little loyalty to their leader and screaming for bloodshed. I was genuinely concerned when none of BWNN’s shots were hitting (the same gun that literally tore holes through people normally) and Sledge whipped out the shotgun. I had seen Thaal write in his join post for her that the secondary version of her had died and the way the battle was going initially, I was sure this was the end for her. Until she nabbed the big guy’s hammer, that is. Had I read her current log page I’d have seen this coming, but I’m glad that I didn’t.

On the technical side, there were only a handful of typos and none that really took away from the reading at all. There was a great balance between dialogue and description. I wasn’t weighed down with huge blocks of dry description nor was I drowned in text. I feel like this made for great pacing throughout. Overall, excellent work by two excellent writers.

One small question, though. With what we saw between Book and BWNN and bearing in mind the title of the thread...plot twist?![/spoiler]

Quote:That's where Caret came in. There was only the sunset and the sunrise in her world. The glow of the sand was the very best thing. When night came over the world it was dark, and cold, and a lifeless place. This was when she usually slipped away and tinkered and fiddled with bobs and ends.

Quote:Her heart pounded heavy even as the panic subsided, her body tense and coiled, ready to do battle once again.

Quote:The fabric plucked and pulled as it ran over her scrapes and sutures, and when it finally came to rest, she looked down at it. A hole rested in the dead center of the garment, a long red stain of her blood spilling out and spreading down her front, drowning the other colors of the filthy garment.

Quote:With a heavy sigh, Caret gestured to the mess of metal. “What do you even need armor for? We’re just going out to the garage.”

Scowling, the bandit huffed and pushed herself up, standing for the first time in weeks. “The dunes don’t care if you’re just going to the garage. It’s got something waiting for ya every way you look,” she said with solemn assuredness. She sorted through the pile, eventually finding a loose harness. “You don’t wanna know how many times I’ve smoked some idiot who just thought ‘We’re only going to the garage.’

Quote:A gentle stirring formed in her breast, the heat of her fury stoked at its mere mention. “Revenge,” she uttered, her eyes narrowing briefly, “Yeah.”

Quote: Omniverse? Where did that come from? She thought, raising her hand to her head again as it ached. It must have something to do with that figure i remember... Fuck, i don't even remember what he looked like

Quote: outside of the numerous trees of extraordinary size that lined the clearing's edge, and those that stood behind them. Many stood so close together, and grew so large and full, that it began hard to see deep into the forest past them, often no more than three to four trees deep.

Quote: The father grabbed his son, pulling him quickly over to stand in front of him. Grabbing the rifles off his back, the father ready the gun to be fired, and quickly handed it to his son. The son looked at his father, seemingly unwilling to kill the animals, but the father had other idea