(no subject)

[skygiants]

As genarti pointed out to me the other day, it is difficult for me to go more than a few months without rereading a Diana Wynne Jones book. *sheepish* Next up in the reread pile: Conrad's Fate! I devoured it in the bookstore when it came out a few years ago, so I thought it was time for a nice, slow, proper appreciative read . . .

. . . ha. Yeah. "I'll just keep reading until Millie shows up!" I thought, and then I looked up two hours later and it was over. :(

ANYWAY. Basically Conrad's Fate is like "the whole upstairs/downstairs British class setup is kind of ridiculous! Let's hang out with Conrad and Christopher as they pretend to be servants and see JUST HOW ridiculous it is!" I mean, there is a lot of hilariously complicated DWJ-ish plot going on in the background with five zillion secret identities and alternate universes and forbidden love and bad karma and wicked witches and even wickeder uncles, but it is so background for most of the book that you don't even have time to be confused about it all; the real joy is in watching Conrad and Christopher bitch about their stupid uniforms and how pointless it is that there are three hundred people to keep a house up for two ladies! And Christopher's subtle realizations about his own privilege are also awesome. I love teenaged Christopher - how he thinks he is so fabulous and suave and amazing and witty, and then half the cast like ". . . honey, nice try, but you have to EARN that fabulousness, and you have not earned it yet."

(I also love how Christopher is TOTALLY IN LOVE WITH MILLIE already ("LET'S GO LIVE ON A PRIVATE ISLAND TOGETHER"), and Millie is just like "Christopher, you are annoying me, will you please shut up about private islands already." It is hilarious and makes me ship them even more than I already did! Also the way he panics and goes into freakout when he can't find her. <3333333 I do wish Millie got more to actually do in this book, but you can't have everything.)



[Poll #1477550]

Comments

[magwana.livejournal.com]

I want to see if Howl and his suits meeting Chrestomanci and his dressing gowns cause the UNIVERSE TO IMPLODE. That is all.

[futuresoon.livejournal.com]

My answer to the last question is a firmly-held belief. And I would totally do it, if I had any idea how.

[skygiants]

I think this is a SERIOUS DANGER. :O

(Meanwhile, Millie and Sophie are off saving the world while Howl and Christopher are still eyeing each other's fine stitchery, hackles up.)

[skygiants]

I still support this SO MUCH! I don't know much about Hetalia, but I know enough to imagine that England's bitchface over various Montoyas and Petrocchis pretending to be British to get around family prejudices would be glorious. *HELPFUL*

You really do! AL HIDING KITTENS IN HIS ARMOR IS THE MOST ADORABLE THING EVER FULL STOP.

[magwana.livejournal.com]

But worth the risk!

(This is exactly right.)

[futuresoon.livejournal.com]

--I'd forgotten about that! I was more thinking about Italy fits into the whole thing, because that one fic made me so happy and there needs to be more Italy fic in the world. But yesss, England's reaction would be marvelous. I am totally storing this idea in my head for later after I finish everything else which will be never.

[ceitfianna]

I think Miles and Christopher would be hilarious as they try and both take control.

Yes, Conrad's Fate is my favorite Chrestomanci, I'm so glad you finally got around to rereading it.

[skygiants]

Oh, totally. It would be the most ~fabulous~ apocalypse ever!

[skygiants]

Itally too! There might even be Italy vs. Italy, given the fact that EVERY OTHER CITY-STATE EVER is apparently pissed off at Caprona.

:D :D :D?

[skygiants]

It's not my favorite of favorites, but I really enjoy it! Teenaged Christopher is so amazingly ridiculous.

. . . brb, off being starry-eyed at the mental image of CHRESTOMANCI IN SPAAAAAAAAAAACE

[ceitfianna]

I think I need to reread Charmed Life since for ages, it was my favorite but I love young Christopher so much. So The Many Lives of Christopher Chant and Conrad's Fate are my two favorites.

Also I kind of want Sameth and Christopher and Conrad to meet, different kinds of magic, egos, loving sports, so much fun.

[rymenhild.livejournal.com]

Okay, so as you know I have never finished reading any Chrestomanci books except Witch Week.

But you JUST KNOW that the kids in 2B, or whatever room they're all in, ought to have a field trip to Kinkan Academy one day to see the ballet. And wacky hijinks WILL DEFINITELY ENSUE. And Estelle and Pique will become BFF. And ... was Charles always a gecko?

And Duck can bond with them all about TINY RUNNING SHORTS.

[skygiants]

ska;ljdfk;lj CHARLES' INNER GECKO

*_* *_* *_*

Charles and Fakir would spend the ENTIRE TIME glaring at each other. And Estelle would fall instantly in love with Mytho, and - wow, Nan's Descriptive Powers are totally competition for Drosselmeyer's story oh man now I really want this.

(Also, unrelated, but I have to say that Fakir's sparkles are a decent contender for ~fabulous~ with Chrestomanci's dressing gown.)

[rymenhild.livejournal.com]

*stares* I'd forgotten that about Nan. YES.

[skygiants]

I can't decide which I love most of those three (although I think maaaaybe Christopher Chant creeps ahead a little. Maybe? But then the other two are so awesome also!) but Witch Week will always be my favorite because it is darker and creepier, and I am a sucker for that sometimes. >.>

Epic magical boy crossover cricket match?

[skygiants]

nnnngh damn you Rym I may have to reread Witch Week now.

NOT FOR PURPOSES OR ANYTHING.

[futuresoon.livejournal.com]

Well, there actually are two Italies--North (the main one, who is ditzy and sweet) and South (his brother, who does not show up as often and is kind of a dick but they totally love each other anyway), so that would be plausible! Although I wonder which part of Italy Caprona is actually in. Hopefully north.

[skygiants]

That is what I was thinking in fact! *grins*

- hahaha you know the story about Caprona, right? How DWJ was like, "I will make up a mythical Italian state! :D" and then a few months after the book came out got a frosty letter from an actual Duke of Caprona, who was Not Amused?

[futuresoon.livejournal.com]

I never know how much my flist knows about Hetalia, I tend to assume they aren't quite as encyclopedic as I am. *g*

--I did not know that story! Oh man that is amazing. Where's Real Caprona? And is it known for its opera?

[skygiants]

On my part it is mostly osmosis. :D

I don't know, and I wish I did! I've been trying to find the interview where I read that factoid and failing. :O Someday I will rediscover it, though!

[ceitfianna]

I enjoyed Witch Week but I just like Christopher as a character so much that I want more of him.

[spellcoats.livejournal.com]

1) Followed very closely by The Magicians of Caprona.

2) I'd pick post-Charmed Life Cat! Not an Extreme Doormat, plenty clever and resourceful, and not as obnoxiously snarky as Christopher.

3) Howl himself may be more fabulous, but he only has two suits to Christopher's 365+ dressing gowns.

[skygiants]

1) It is good to see Caprona get some love! It is not my favorite of favorites, but it's definitely up there.

2) Cat is great to hang out with as long as you don't challenge his status as The Quietest And Saddest, as per Mixed Magics *solemn* I think if I picked Cat I'd have to bring along Roger and Julia though so there could be wacky magical game-hijinks!

3) Sheer volume of dressing gowns is an extremely valid point. (And I bet that by this point, everyone just buys him fabulous dressing gowns for all major holidays. It's like buying ties for anyone else!)

[cerusee.livejournal.com]

I just reread Conrad's Fate the other week! I'd totally forgotten the plot, which usually makes for a fun reread, and I think I enjoyed it much more this time around. Teenage Christopher and his adoration for Millie is pretty precious, isn't it?

I was torn picking between Charmed Life and Pinhoe Egg because I think the former is a better book, but Cat's life is much happier in the latter, and I get gooey over Cat and his rapidly growing menagerie of nonhuman companions.

The more I think about it, the more I'd love to see the Vorkosigan Clan (and friends!) and the various and sundry Chants having tea--Miles and Christopher would unsettle the hell out of each other; Christopher and Illyan would go head-to-head to see who could be more dryly ironic, and Cat and Gregor could swap stories about their horrible family tragedies and compare notes on moping techniques. Ekaterin and Millie would probably get along pretty well, and I bet Cordelia would feel some kinship with poor Janet, thrown out of her old life into a weird parallel world that feels a little old-fashioned, with new customs and a new history to understand, attached to exactly one person that she's embraced as family, but who isn't entirely equipped to help her navigate this strange new life.

[elspeth-vimes.livejournal.com]

I fully understand the people who choose The Lives of Christopher Chant, because it's a very close call for me. But ultimately Witch Week wins out.

I vote for Howl if only because otherwise we will have to clean up massive amounts of green slime. Again.

And I am firmly of the opinion that Chrestomanciverse and Discworld must meet at some point. I have visions of things such as Millie and Sybil hanging out. And Christopher dealing with the wizards would be hilarious.


I need to reread Conrad's Fate. It is immensely fun! ...And you know. It would be interesting to rp teenage Christopher. >.>

[skygiants]

Oh ha, that is exactly what happened for me - I remembered the IMPORTANT PARTS (i.e., Christopher spazzing out over Millie and a private island) but very little about the actual plot . . .

Aw, seeing happy Cat was definitely the best part of The Pinhoe Egg. I didn't actually love that one that much as a book, but Cat and Janet and Julia and Roger as a settled Chrestomanci Family was totally awesome.

. . . Cat and Gregor comparing moping techniques is possibly the most adorable mental image I've had in a long time. *_* And Cordelia would totally adopt Janet. And Ivan would divide his time between flirting with Millie, being mooned over by Julia, and envying Christopher's outfits!

[skygiants]

Yeah, Christopher Chant is really really good, but . . . Witch Week! Nan and Charles and Nirupam and Estelle and thoroughly messed-up ensembleness <33333

. . . this is a valid point. Chrestomanci needs to work on some better sulking techniques for people to wait on his every whim. (Admittedly, he has the one-eyebrowed intimidation thing way more down than Howl does.)

Millie and Sybil would be total BFF! But what I REALLY want to see now is Christopher vs. Granny Weatherwax *_*

It really is! Plot is secondary to dorky teenaged Chrestomanci shenanigans. hahaha I very briefly RPed a teenaged Millie with a teenaged Christopher. IT WAS AWESOME. They are so much fun!

[elspeth-vimes.livejournal.com]

It is very hard to compete with a book which showcases Nan's descriptive abilities.

Well, I rather think that Christopher is more reluctant to risk coming off as a spoiled, distant brat than Howl is.

Wouldn't they? And yes. It would be so epic.
Though, in my opinion, a discussion of fashion between Christopher and Vetinari would possibly be just as epic in its own way!

...Well, yeah. THIS IS FURTHER PROOF THAT YOU ARE BRILLIANT.

(Also, I too want to see the Witch Week crew stuck in Kinkan!)

[skygiants]

So true! Nan's lunch at high table is one of the great scenes of all literature, in my humble opinion. *_*

True - Christopher has reason to learn that coming off as a spoiled, distant brat can cause you problems in the long run! Like for example when you suddenly need to convince a castle full of people that you are not a heartless evildoer who chops up mermaids.

. . . you know, I am trying to find words for how much Vimes would hate Christopher, and failing. It would be such gloriously epic hate!

AS ARE YOU, AND I VERY FIRMLY FEEL YOU SHOULD PLAY CHRISTOPHER SOMEWHERE

(another thing I am having trouble imagining, because it is too fabulous: the code words of hate that Charles would come up with for Mr. Cat. *_*)

[elspeth-vimes.livejournal.com]

I am fully behind you on that. I remember the state of awe it induced when I read it for the first time.

Whereas Howl, we all know, is just desperate for attention.

CHRESTOMANCI IS LIKE A WIZARD VERSION OF VETINARI, WITH STUPID ANNOYING HABITS. SO MUCH DO NOT WANT.

blwrgvho YOU ARE TOO GOOD TO ME. ...We will see if I have time after/during winter break when I will be able to reread in the first place. >.>

(oooh, yes)

[dynastessa]

HOMG. I love this book. And actually it's my very first Dianna Wynne-Jones book too, so it does have a special place in my heart. Hehe.

Now I want to go and reread it. Too bad my copy is in Toronto...

[skygiants]

Ohhh, me too. That, and the riding-a-hoe-to-safety scene. And every one of the journal entries. And and *flails!*

Yeah, he really is. Christopher likes being the center of attention to, but I cannot quite see him resorting to turning into a fake three-year-old to get it.

HE ACTUALLY SHOWS UP WHENEVER YOU SAY HIS NAME! . . . well, to be fair, Vetinari does that too, but it's a little less blatant!

They do not take very long to reread. *helpful* Three hours, tops!

[skygiants]

Dude, really? That definitely deserves a special place! (I cannot even remember what my first one was anymore - I, uh, kind of cannot remember a time in my life before Diana Wynne Jones *sheepish* - but it must have been Howl or Chrestomanci . . . I think. Maybe. Odds are good?)

It doesn't take that long to reread in a bookstore. Uh. >.>

[blueyeti.livejournal.com]

*waves* Random, popped in from the Depressing List Of Yuletide NYR I Didn't Write. (So I can stalk your yuleletter this year and use someone wanting DWJ stocking-stuffers as incentive for finishing my fic if it turns out to be That One Thing I Thought No One Would Request.)

But, oh, I *really* want to see Chrestomanci in Discworld now. Can you imagine his face when Vimes tries to push him off to the wizards? And Vetinari vs. Christopher would be awesome.

[skygiants]

Hi! :) (Ha, I know that feeling. And I FULLY SUPPORT more DWJ stocking-stuffers always! I love the treasure trove of DWJ fic that we inevitably get with Yuletide, it is amazing.)

It would be the calmest, vaguest, most elegantly polite bitchfight ever! Meanwhile, Vimes is off to one side banging his head against the wall. (Meanwhile meanwhile, Millie is taking Cheery Littlebottom shopping. :D)

[blueyeti.livejournal.com]

*grin* Stocking Stuffers For the Wynne!

Yes, Christopher/Vetinari (Christopher&Vetinari, okay, but the other...*brainbreak*) would be just so scary and wonderful. Exactly what you said. And their internal snark-o-meter would be going all 'a wizard named Chant, how quaint.' and 'Vetinari? Really? Oh dear, do you suppose all that bullying in childhood will make Cat a megalomaniac dictator? Must find time to cure him.'

Meanwhile, Sybil invited them both over for tea, and Willikins introduced Sir Christopher and Lady Chant (utilising his secret butler-L-space connection to Jeeves & Bunter to find that out, or possibly Twerps Peerage, Interspacial Edition). Christopher was found two days later, dripping with unnameable microorganisms, climbing out of the never-before-escaped cells designed by Bloody Stupid Johnson. Relatively unharmed. It was for his own good. You can't blame Vimes for thinking that a man wearing a silk cravat who calls himself a watchman deserves a little trial by BSJ. He was being generous, really.

(Meanwhile, meanwhile meanwhile, Cheery Littlebottom has taken over the shopping trip, and is enlightening Millie to the many and various uses of chainmail undergarments and iron-heeled shoes in high risk occupations, like mining, or being Christopher's wife.)


...I shall now stop punning, for the good of society.

[skygiants]

. . . I can't decide if that pun is amazing or terrible. OR BOTH. *cracking up*

Oh man, poor Cat would be SO INTIMIDATED by the Patrician. And by Vimes too, come to that. But for some reason I have an image of him getting on wonderfully with Agnes Nutter. Domineering witches who try to take control of your life can be such an annoyance!

. . . exactly yes. I think he was probably arrested for public indecency. *solemn* There is a little-known ordinance forbidding the wearing of dressing gowns on city streets in broad daylight! Which Vimes is MORE THAN happy to take advantage of.

(While Millie is demonstrating how very useful it can be to learn how to stick somebody in a wall when they get uppity!)