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Books by Flamethrower

Cover placeholder for Of a Linear Circle - Part III.

Of a Linear Circle - Part III

by Flamethrower · read 2021-12-27
★★★★☆
This is where the series starts to come into its own: It provides the backstory of the protagonist, Nizar, back during the founding of Hogwarts around 980. It's extremely well-researched regarding the realities of the British Isles back then, including the multitude of languages and kingdoms, their squabbling relations, the international nature of Europe, and much more. (To be clear: this is my version of a glowing review. I live for this shit.)
Cover placeholder for Of a Linear Circle - Part IV.

Of a Linear Circle - Part IV

by Flamethrower · read 2022-01-01
★★★★☆
Back to the present timeline, this (long) part of the ongoing series proves fun, and dazzles with payoff. Plus, a new (mature, unexcited, beautiful) romance side-story. And then there's the extremely slow-building (4th long ) power gradient involving the British monarchy ffs (Elizabeth turns to Nizar. “Now then. What are your intentions regarding my kingdom, Lord Nizar?”).
Cover placeholder for Of a Linear Circle - Part II.

Of a Linear Circle - Part II

by Flamethrower · read 2021-12-25
★★★★☆
Second part of a delightful fic. The rapid setup continues – it doesn't obviously lead anywhere yet, except into romance, but the romance is grown-up and delightful and so I won't complain. Continues the general competency porn.
Cover placeholder for Of a Linear Circle - Part V - Ravenclaw.

Of a Linear Circle - Part V - Ravenclaw

by Flamethrower · read 2022-01-01
★★★★☆
This part of the series goes all in on historical fiction: It follows the backdrop of Rowena Ravenclaw, who is really called Hrodwunn of Hrabanklawa, Bavaria. We get some alright character building, and more importantly, some really fun historical fiction: Hrodwunn is friends with Theophanu, the wife of Otto II, and so her fate ist connected to the complex fate of the rulers of the Holy Roman Empire. It's well-researched and all kinds of fun (plus, part of it takes place in Quedlinburg).
Cover placeholder for Of a Linear Circle - Part I.

Of a Linear Circle - Part I

by Flamethrower · read 2021-12-24
★★★★☆
Really decent fanfic: The brother of Salazar Slytherin mysteriously falls from his portrait, while Harry Potter has gone missing after is 4th year at school. Nizar, the protrait, continues to oust Umbridge, be a teacher, correct everybody about history, and be pretty badass – with the help of a Severus Snape, whose backstory is kinda neat.
Cover placeholder for Of a Linear Circle Part VI.

Of a Linear Circle Part VI

by Flamethrower · read 2022-01-04
★★★☆☆
More side characters come in to get a role, which is oddly satisfying. The Latin manages to get worse somehow, and for a while, everything looks pretty repetetive, but then we get open war, so I won't complain too much.
Cover placeholder for Of a Linear Circle - Part VIII - The Second Wizarding War.

Of a Linear Circle - Part VIII - The Second Wizarding War

by Flamethrower · read 2022-01-05
★★★☆☆
Series continues to be good, with a few caveats: Tons of side characters being treated well means massively slower story progress. General competency porn continues, but the Latin somehow got worse (while the complaints about bad Latin, in-text, remained), which is mildly infuriating. Somebody explain to the author what a Vocative is, please.
Cover placeholder for Of a Linear Circle - Part V - Gryffindor.

Of a Linear Circle - Part V - Gryffindor

by Flamethrower · read 2022-01-02
★★★☆☆
More backstory, more carefully researched historical fiction. Well, some is inaccurate in minor details, but on the level of getting one of the historical lords of Orkney wrong, which seems to be a cruel thing to count against a fanfic. Thanks to checking the story, also need to complain about the list of English (Wessex) kings with creative names such as Æthelred, Æthelstan, Ælfweard, Ælfwynn, Æthelwold, Æthelhelm, Æthelberht, Æthelbald, Æthelwulf …
Cover placeholder for Of a Linear Circle - Part VII - Exile.

Of a Linear Circle - Part VII - Exile

by Flamethrower · read 2022-01-04
★★★☆☆
Novella, filling in some more backstory stuff. I'm not super well-versed in 14th-15th century Spain and France, so I spent half the time on Wikipedia. Generally entertaining, but too much is already known through previous and later story elements; and the author does not share Vonnegut's skill at telling you the ending, then making you care about how you get there. (Unsurprising and completely fair – asking for Vonnegut when reading fanfics is stupid).
Cover placeholder for Of a Linear Circle - Part IX - Serpent in the Grass.

Of a Linear Circle - Part IX - Serpent in the Grass

by Flamethrower · read 2022-01-07
★★☆☆☆
The rest of this series was so good, but the last part just wasn't. It's backstory, in a way, but more importantly it sees itself as just backstory. Nobody gets any depth, everything is narrated as if this was the Silmarillion, family histories are recited as if we're in competition with the Old Testament … and then, emotionally important moments are skipped and mentioned in passing. Yikes.