Justin McElroy

This is astounding

Comic, Page 1: P1: Outer space, showing several distant planets and a star, focusing on a foreground ringed planet that appears to have oceans and continents with large visibly man-made alterations, including bridges and a central trench of city circling the planet. Narration: "There are 11 billion sentient life forms on this planet. Uncountable artificial intelligences, consciousnesses stored in the core, more arriving every day" P2: A hand touches the top of an alien-looking casket. Narration: "One less, now." P3: The face of an alien person with an expression of grief, with pupil-less eyes, distinctive cheek markings, a metallic hoop around their neck, and a cloak, referred to from now as "MC". P4: Another person appears behind the first, with a floating holographic display of information in front of their face. Other person: "I take it you are aware of the duty the late Vhixyr is trusting to you?" MC: "Yes, I was told long ago."

Page 2: P1: MC is pictured silhouetted from behind, standing in front of a far-future city, full of other citizens and glass transport tubes in the sky stretching into the distance. Narration: "Out of over 11 billion, me." P2: (Blank) Narration: "Despite Vhixyr's insistence that I was just the best fit, I always wondered-" P3: MC's foot stepping on a panel. Narration: "I wondered if my dear grandparent harbored some secret resentment," P4: MC standing in front of a doorway, raising a hand to a glowing panel on the wall. Behind the doorway is swirling shapes and light. Narration: "...or if they just thought I was the only one who could forgive them for this life-long burden?" P5: MC walking on a transparent bridge through a void filled with swirling light. Narration: "But really, all that mattered-" P6: (Blank) Narration: "Is that there are five of them. ...of us."

Page 3: P1: Two arch-shaped desks with small cylindrical devices with 3 bulbs protruding from them, and a fan-shaped holographic display behind them showing a wave-form. MC: "I wasn't expecting your equipment to look so... ancient?" P2: A zoomed out view of the room, showing MC speaking to a larger smiling alien with an arch-shaped structure on their back, referred to from here as Council 1. Council 1: "For taking vibrations in the air. Ancient traditions, after all." P3: From behind MC, still speaking to Council 1, who is pointing at their own mouth. Council 1: "And I see you've been practicing your oral language!" MC: "No small effort - but we need to be able to speak this way for a full cycle after all." Council 1: "You get used to it." P4: Showing MC now. Council 1: "I trust you have now... viewed it, as well?" MC: "...of course." P5: Zooming out, showing both MC and Council 1, and another person in the back of the room by a large holo display. This person (Council 2) is slim, wearing a dark sleeveless shirt and a large brace over their shoulders. Council 2: "As of now, Earth has reached 89.3% of its sun-cycle." Council 1: "Then we will begin."

Page 4: P1: From left to right seated at the desk in front of holo displays, Council 2, Council 1, and a third Council member with a robe and a U-shaped brace framing their head, all with somber expressions. Council 1: "Today we welcome Thonriel, third grandchild of Vhixyr, to the order of T'ddub. Thonriel has the terrible and honorable charge of speaking first today, as our order convenes for audiograph number 0X7B65D. -ahem- So... what did you think?" P2: Thonriel (MC), wearing a grim expression and slamming their hand down on their own desk. "Paul Blart: Mall Cop 2 is still a bad movie."

The council convenes once more
#deathblart

Two Hotties and a Naughty Improv Podcast · Updated Weekly · A podcast about life’s little victories and constant disappointments. Hosted by Michael Beck, Slice Hicks, and Dwight Slappe.

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Hell yes you should it's one of my favorite movies and I explain why here:

whatever.scalzi.com/2023/12/12/t...

This is amazing, Griff and I were dream casting Ncuti Gatwa yesterday

I tried! I’m gonna try again

This is such a great compliment

Thank you!

You know, I should really try it again. I started but lost track because I found it too dry.

The reading by Chiwetel Ejiofor is also my favorite audiobook, incidentally.

I just started the books and I can’t stop, they’re wonderful and seem to be gathering a real head of steam, seeing a lot of parallel conversations in multiple places

The cover of Piranesi, a little goat, dude on a plinth playing a double flute

Piranesi, I realized in this, my second read, is my favorite book. Don’t research. Just go read it. It’s short.

If you’ve read before, and are considering rereading, I’ll remind you that The Beauty of the House is immeasurable; it’s Kindness infinite.

Oh I’m sold, she’s a dynamite author

Hey, read the Murderbot Chronicles. They’re so short. I found the first one so … relatable which is … maybe bad? I dunno! It’s a novella, read it!

My episode of Big City Greens is on Disney if you wanna see it

Hey pals! Do you or someone you know work in children’s museum exhibit design? Specific, I know! I’d love your help with a thing, please email Justin at Mbmbam dot com

Fever House by Keith Rosson was the very scary first part of a duology about a disembodied hand that fills people near it with murderous impulses. It’s October, treat yourself!

Syd and I read the whole ACOTAR series since last we spoke. They’re books about horny fairies that I found invigoratingly inventive in a structural sense and terribly romantic. Maybe I’m just going soft in my old age, I dunno

Yeah, it’s outrageously good

Red print on a yellow background reading Major Labels A History of Popular Music in Seven Genres by Kelefa Sanneh

So: Major Labels by Kelefa Sanneh is an astounding account of modern popular music. He condenses and contextualizes like 75 years of music in a way that rearranged my whole outlook on how I listen to music.

Hey, like all Elmore Leonard I’ve read, Get Shorty is a real treat. I think I might be bad at book reviews. I try to only read stuff I’ll like and I usually do. Like them that is. Especially if I finish them

We’re halfway through The Twyford Code, it’s excellent

THE DADLIEST CATCH: Just finished Essex Dogs, a historical fiction following one hard-bitten company during the Hundred Years War. I know nothing about history, this might as well have been set in Enchancia for all I knew, but it’s a really compelling story!

Now THATS a book

Kenneth, I made this exact joke on Besties like two hours ago. We have beautiful minds

Syd and I read The Appeal together. When I tell you it is an epistolary murder mystery set in a British community theater group told almost entirely through emails you know with 100% certainty if you will love it. if you think you will after reading that just go get it

I finished Crooked Kingdom, and it was thrilling, watching the author evolve through this series and watching her tie her universe together. Some great action writing as well.

Now reading Crooked Kingdom

Finished the great Zoey Ashe trilogy, which is the story of a dystopian city in future Utah so lawless and attention-obsessed that it’s a very useful satirical stand-in for the internet. The first book is called Futuristic Violence and Fancy Suits, which does what it says on the tin.

welcome to my Bluesky new friends. It’s just books here. About to wrap up the Zoey Ashe trilogy