Yet Another Pimping Post
Sep. 24th, 2015 04:30 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
brigdhIt's late September! The air is crisp, everything is flavored like pumpkin, and Yuletide is coming. That means it's time for me to try pimping The Benjamin January mysteries, a series of books by Barbara Hambly.
On the tiny chance that you haven't already heard me recommending them, this is a series of thirteen books (so far!) set in 1830s New Orleans. The main character is Benjamin January, a free black man who, despite training as a surgeon, can only get a job as a pianist and occasional detective. He's accompanied by friends Rose (a black woman scientist determined to run a school for girls), Hannibal (a woobie violinist who is one of the few actively not-racist white people in the series), and Shaw (a white policeman who is remarkably sympathetic to Ben, and is an outsider himself, being an illiterate Kentuckian). Ben's family are also important characters, including his mother Livia (a former slave who gained freedom for herself and her children by becoming a white man's mistress; she's incredibly snobby and self-righteous and yet very sympathetic), his sister Olympe (who ran away as a teenager and became a voodoo priestess; she's very strong-willed and scorns Ben and his mother's bourgeois tendencies), and his younger half-sister Dominique (herself now also a white man's mistress; she's flighty and fashionable and incredibly kind). The series is remarkably well-researched and full of historical details, while also being aware of all sorts of social justice issues: race, gender, disability, language, religion, class, nationality, and more. And yet it's also a lot of fun: the characters have a great sense of humor, and are the sort of snarky geeks who will make jokes about Shakespeare or microscopes even in a life-or-death situation. There's a lot of "Us Against the World" and "Big Damn Heroes", and despite the darkness of the setting, there's ultimately a hopeful, optimistic tone to the books. Plus, so much "Found Family" feels. More than murder or mystery, the central plot of the whole series is about Ben finding and building up a family. There is lots of shipping potential, whether m/f, m/m, f/f, or my personal favorite, OT3.
"Sounds awesome!", you say (or at least I hope you do), "but thirteen books is a lot to read! What if I just want to read one or two?"
I am here to help, friend! Below the cut I've written up a non-spoilery list of all the books with their main characters and tropes (so that you may choose the one that most appeals to your personal taste), ranked according to their ability to stand alone.
1. A Free Man of Color
Main Characters: Ben, Shaw, Hannibal, Dominique, Olympe, Livia
What happens: Ben, our new lead character, returns home to New Orleans after living most of his adult life in Paris. He's promptly accused of murder and must find the real killer to prove his innocence, all while dealing with his own family drama.
Tropes: Desperate treks through the wilderness!, Costume party!, Secret queer romance!, Gun battles!, Chains!
Can I start here: Of course! It is the first book, after all.
2. Fever Season
Main Characters: Ben, Rose, Hannibal, Shaw, Dominique
What happens: During an epidemic of yellow fever, Ben struggles with intense loneliness before getting pulled into helping solve the problems of several strangers. Rose is introduced and fights to keep her school for girls operating under difficult circumstances. Bonus appearance by real historical figure Delphine Lalaurie.
Tropes: Found family feels!, Poison!, Dramatic action sequences!, Chains and torture!, Sleazy preachers!
Can I start here: Yup! You shouldn't have any problems.
3. Graveyard Dust
Main Characters: Ben, Rose, Hannibal, Shaw, Olympe
What happens: Olympe is accused of murder and Ben must find the real killer to prove her innocence. Hannibal suffers a serious bout of TB. Bonus appearance by real historical figure Marie Laveau.
Tropes: Voodoo that seems to really work!, H/C in the form of poisoning!, Characters get locked up!, Characters get kidnapped!, Much nursing!, Dramatic trial scenes!, Super fucked up family dramas!
Can I start here: Yes! This would be a great one to start with. In fact, if you don't want to start at the beginning, this would be my #1 alternative suggestion.
4. Sold Down the River
Main Characters: Ben, Hannibal, Shaw, Livia
What happens: A plantation owner hires Ben to figure out who's causing problems at his home, which means that Ben must go undercover as a field slave on a sugar plantation. Hannibal comes along to help and pretend to be Ben's owner.
Tropes: So much childhood angst!, Dramatic action sequences!, Exploding steamboats!, Characters get kidnapped!, Characters get tied up and left in burning buildings!, Gun battles!, Super fucked up family dramas!
Can I start here: Yes. Because this book takes Ben out of his usual environment, a lot of the setting and characters are new and don't require you to have read along before.
5. Die Upon a Kiss
Main Characters: Ben, Rose, Dominique, Shaw, Hannibal
What happens: Ben and Hannibal get jobs at an opera performing Othello, and Ben tries to figure out who's attacking the director, and why. Meanwhile, Dominique and Henri's relationship runs into a problem.
Tropes: Characters get tied up and left in burning buildings!, Costume party!, Characters get on stage!, Backstage shenanigans!, Opera!, Desperate treks through the wilderness!, Kissing!
Can I start here: Yes, with a caveat: reading about Rose's plot won't be confusing, but probably will have more of an emotional impact if you've read at least one of the previous books. Also, Dominique's plot does not finish within this book, but continues on to the next.
6. Wet Grave
Main Characters: Ben, Rose, Dominique, Shaw, Olympe
What happens: Ben investigates a mystery involving pirate dubloons and smuggled guns, which ultimately forces him and Rose to flee New Orleans and go into hiding in rural Louisiana. Dominique and Henri's relationship problems continue. Bonus appearance by real historical figure Jean Lafitte.
Tropes: Hurricanes!, Alligators!, Dramatic action sequences!, Gun battles!, Crossdressing!, Characters get shot!, Creepy plantation houses!, Someone gets stabbed with a pencil!, Pirates!, Dramatic hostage situations!, Found family feels!, Romance!
Can I start here: Not unless you don't mind some picking up some plot threads as you go along. Dominique's plot starts out in the middle, having begun in the previous books, and Rose's plot continues to work better if you already know her.
7. Days of the Dead
Main Characters: Ben, Rose, Hannibal
What happens: Hannibal is accused of murder while staying in Mexico City, and Ben must find the real killer to prove his innocence. Rose comes along and helps investigate. Bonus appearance by real historical figure Santa Anna.
Tropes: Ghosts!, Characters are imprisoned!, Bull-fighting!, Crossdressing!, Poison!, Chains!, Dramatic hostage situations!, Aztec pyramids!, The bad guys attempt human sacrifice!, Found family feels!
Can I start here: Mostly yes. The emotions between Ben, Rose, and Hannibal probably work better as a continuation than an introduction, but there's nothing confusing about the plot or setting.
8. Dead Water
Main Characters: Ben, Rose, Hannibal
What happens: Ben, Rose, and Hannibal take a trip on a riverboat up the Mississippi to figure out who stole the gold from their bank. Ben again goes undercover as a slave, with Hannibal disguised as his owner. Bonus appearance by real historical figure Jefferson Davis.
Tropes: Voodoo that seems to really work!, H/C in the form of poisoning!, Duels!, Exploding steamboats!, Gun battles!, Pirates!, the Underground Railroad!, Found family feels!
Can I start here: Again, mostly yes. Some of the emotional impact requires knowing these characters, but the plot and setting are brand new.
9. Dead and Buried
Main Characters: Ben, Hannibal, Shaw
What happens: Hannibal recognizes a murder victim, and then freaks out when a young visitor to town is accused of doing the deed. Ben attempts to figure out what's going on with both the murder and Hannibal's past.
Tropes: Characters get locked up!, Tragic backstories!, Ben and Hannibal almost have a fight!, Found family feels!
Can I start here: Probably not. The plot is self-contained, but really does work better with previous knowledge of the characters.
10. The Shirt on His Back
Main Characters: Ben, Shaw, Hannibal
What happens: Shaw's younger brother is murdered out West, so he, Ben, and Hannibal travel to the Oregon Territory to figure out what happened. Bonus appearance from real historical figure Kit Carson.
Tropes: Desperate treks through the wilderness!, Characters are kidnapped and threatened with torture!, Characters fall in a flooded river!, Gun battles!, Poison!, Characters go through withdrawal!, Lots of Frankenstein references!, The Wild West!
Can I start here: Yes! This would be a great book to pick if you want to start in the latter half of the series.
11. Ran Away
Main Characters: Ben, Rose, Ayasha
What happens: This book is split into two stories. In the first, set ten years previously, Ben and Ayasha investigate the case of a poisoning in the Turkish ambassador's harem in Paris. In the second, Ben meets the same Turkish ambassador again in New Orleans and must defend him from a murder charge by finding the real killer.
Tropes: Dramatic hostage situations!, Gun battles!, Voodoo to manipulate public opinion!, Street urchins!, Poison!, Found family feels!, Battling preachers!, the Underground Railroad!, Les Mis-era France!, Romance!
Can I start here: Mostly yes. Again, there's some emotional tangles that work better if you know the characters, but I'd give this one a 90% "Good to Start With" ranking.
12. Good Man Friday
Main Characters: Ben, Dominique
What happens: Ben travels with Dominique, Henri, and Chloe to Washington DC to investigate a disappearance. Bonus appearance from real historical figure Edgar Allen Poe.
Tropes: Grave robbers!, Codes!, International spies!, Characters are kidnapped!, Gun battles!, Characters get shot!, Insane asylums!, Baseball!
Can I start here: Totally! (Although I sort of wouldn't recommend it because it's not my favorite book.) Ben's away from home, and that means there's less earlier character and setting development you need to know.
13. Crimson Angel
Main Characters: Ben, Rose, Hannibal
What happens: Rose's younger brother is murdered after deciding to investigate an old family story about hidden treasure. To protect themselves, Ben and Rose flee New Orleans, heading first to rural Louisiana, then Cuba, then finally Haiti. Hannibal comes along to help.
Tropes: Voodoo that seems to really work!, Found family feels!, Dramatic hostage situations!, Gun battles!, Fake dating!, Platonic bed-sharing!, Characters get shot!, Characters get stabbed!, Zombies!, Revolutionaries!, Secret treasure!, Ghost stories!
Can I start here: Mostly, yes! There's a few call-backs to previous events, but this one does a remarkable job of setting up the characters for such a late book.
There are also four short stories, which you can acquire from Amazon or Smashwords.
1. Libre: Set at an indeterminate period sometime around the first three books. Ben solves the mystery of a disappearance of a young placee; Hannibal and Dominique assist. No spoilers, but it won't give you a good sense of the characters.
2. There Shall Your Heart Be Also: Set at an indeterminate period sometime around the first five books. Ben solves the mystery of why someone is trying to steal Kentucky Williams's bible. Hannibal assists. No spoilers.
3. A Time to Every Purpose Under Heaven: Set during The Shirt on His Back. Rose solves a murder with Dominique's help. Spoilers for The Shirt on His Back, but could be read as a starter.
4. Hagar: Set during Good Man Friday. Rose solves a murder at a costume party. Hannibal and Livia assist. No spoilers, but it does count on a previous emotional engagement with the characters.
If anyone else who has read these disagrees, or has something to add, I'd love to discuss it!
On the tiny chance that you haven't already heard me recommending them, this is a series of thirteen books (so far!) set in 1830s New Orleans. The main character is Benjamin January, a free black man who, despite training as a surgeon, can only get a job as a pianist and occasional detective. He's accompanied by friends Rose (a black woman scientist determined to run a school for girls), Hannibal (a woobie violinist who is one of the few actively not-racist white people in the series), and Shaw (a white policeman who is remarkably sympathetic to Ben, and is an outsider himself, being an illiterate Kentuckian). Ben's family are also important characters, including his mother Livia (a former slave who gained freedom for herself and her children by becoming a white man's mistress; she's incredibly snobby and self-righteous and yet very sympathetic), his sister Olympe (who ran away as a teenager and became a voodoo priestess; she's very strong-willed and scorns Ben and his mother's bourgeois tendencies), and his younger half-sister Dominique (herself now also a white man's mistress; she's flighty and fashionable and incredibly kind). The series is remarkably well-researched and full of historical details, while also being aware of all sorts of social justice issues: race, gender, disability, language, religion, class, nationality, and more. And yet it's also a lot of fun: the characters have a great sense of humor, and are the sort of snarky geeks who will make jokes about Shakespeare or microscopes even in a life-or-death situation. There's a lot of "Us Against the World" and "Big Damn Heroes", and despite the darkness of the setting, there's ultimately a hopeful, optimistic tone to the books. Plus, so much "Found Family" feels. More than murder or mystery, the central plot of the whole series is about Ben finding and building up a family. There is lots of shipping potential, whether m/f, m/m, f/f, or my personal favorite, OT3.
"Sounds awesome!", you say (or at least I hope you do), "but thirteen books is a lot to read! What if I just want to read one or two?"
I am here to help, friend! Below the cut I've written up a non-spoilery list of all the books with their main characters and tropes (so that you may choose the one that most appeals to your personal taste), ranked according to their ability to stand alone.
1. A Free Man of Color
Main Characters: Ben, Shaw, Hannibal, Dominique, Olympe, Livia
What happens: Ben, our new lead character, returns home to New Orleans after living most of his adult life in Paris. He's promptly accused of murder and must find the real killer to prove his innocence, all while dealing with his own family drama.
Tropes: Desperate treks through the wilderness!, Costume party!, Secret queer romance!, Gun battles!, Chains!
Can I start here: Of course! It is the first book, after all.
2. Fever Season
Main Characters: Ben, Rose, Hannibal, Shaw, Dominique
What happens: During an epidemic of yellow fever, Ben struggles with intense loneliness before getting pulled into helping solve the problems of several strangers. Rose is introduced and fights to keep her school for girls operating under difficult circumstances. Bonus appearance by real historical figure Delphine Lalaurie.
Tropes: Found family feels!, Poison!, Dramatic action sequences!, Chains and torture!, Sleazy preachers!
Can I start here: Yup! You shouldn't have any problems.
3. Graveyard Dust
Main Characters: Ben, Rose, Hannibal, Shaw, Olympe
What happens: Olympe is accused of murder and Ben must find the real killer to prove her innocence. Hannibal suffers a serious bout of TB. Bonus appearance by real historical figure Marie Laveau.
Tropes: Voodoo that seems to really work!, H/C in the form of poisoning!, Characters get locked up!, Characters get kidnapped!, Much nursing!, Dramatic trial scenes!, Super fucked up family dramas!
Can I start here: Yes! This would be a great one to start with. In fact, if you don't want to start at the beginning, this would be my #1 alternative suggestion.
4. Sold Down the River
Main Characters: Ben, Hannibal, Shaw, Livia
What happens: A plantation owner hires Ben to figure out who's causing problems at his home, which means that Ben must go undercover as a field slave on a sugar plantation. Hannibal comes along to help and pretend to be Ben's owner.
Tropes: So much childhood angst!, Dramatic action sequences!, Exploding steamboats!, Characters get kidnapped!, Characters get tied up and left in burning buildings!, Gun battles!, Super fucked up family dramas!
Can I start here: Yes. Because this book takes Ben out of his usual environment, a lot of the setting and characters are new and don't require you to have read along before.
5. Die Upon a Kiss
Main Characters: Ben, Rose, Dominique, Shaw, Hannibal
What happens: Ben and Hannibal get jobs at an opera performing Othello, and Ben tries to figure out who's attacking the director, and why. Meanwhile, Dominique and Henri's relationship runs into a problem.
Tropes: Characters get tied up and left in burning buildings!, Costume party!, Characters get on stage!, Backstage shenanigans!, Opera!, Desperate treks through the wilderness!, Kissing!
Can I start here: Yes, with a caveat: reading about Rose's plot won't be confusing, but probably will have more of an emotional impact if you've read at least one of the previous books. Also, Dominique's plot does not finish within this book, but continues on to the next.
6. Wet Grave
Main Characters: Ben, Rose, Dominique, Shaw, Olympe
What happens: Ben investigates a mystery involving pirate dubloons and smuggled guns, which ultimately forces him and Rose to flee New Orleans and go into hiding in rural Louisiana. Dominique and Henri's relationship problems continue. Bonus appearance by real historical figure Jean Lafitte.
Tropes: Hurricanes!, Alligators!, Dramatic action sequences!, Gun battles!, Crossdressing!, Characters get shot!, Creepy plantation houses!, Someone gets stabbed with a pencil!, Pirates!, Dramatic hostage situations!, Found family feels!, Romance!
Can I start here: Not unless you don't mind some picking up some plot threads as you go along. Dominique's plot starts out in the middle, having begun in the previous books, and Rose's plot continues to work better if you already know her.
7. Days of the Dead
Main Characters: Ben, Rose, Hannibal
What happens: Hannibal is accused of murder while staying in Mexico City, and Ben must find the real killer to prove his innocence. Rose comes along and helps investigate. Bonus appearance by real historical figure Santa Anna.
Tropes: Ghosts!, Characters are imprisoned!, Bull-fighting!, Crossdressing!, Poison!, Chains!, Dramatic hostage situations!, Aztec pyramids!, The bad guys attempt human sacrifice!, Found family feels!
Can I start here: Mostly yes. The emotions between Ben, Rose, and Hannibal probably work better as a continuation than an introduction, but there's nothing confusing about the plot or setting.
8. Dead Water
Main Characters: Ben, Rose, Hannibal
What happens: Ben, Rose, and Hannibal take a trip on a riverboat up the Mississippi to figure out who stole the gold from their bank. Ben again goes undercover as a slave, with Hannibal disguised as his owner. Bonus appearance by real historical figure Jefferson Davis.
Tropes: Voodoo that seems to really work!, H/C in the form of poisoning!, Duels!, Exploding steamboats!, Gun battles!, Pirates!, the Underground Railroad!, Found family feels!
Can I start here: Again, mostly yes. Some of the emotional impact requires knowing these characters, but the plot and setting are brand new.
9. Dead and Buried
Main Characters: Ben, Hannibal, Shaw
What happens: Hannibal recognizes a murder victim, and then freaks out when a young visitor to town is accused of doing the deed. Ben attempts to figure out what's going on with both the murder and Hannibal's past.
Tropes: Characters get locked up!, Tragic backstories!, Ben and Hannibal almost have a fight!, Found family feels!
Can I start here: Probably not. The plot is self-contained, but really does work better with previous knowledge of the characters.
10. The Shirt on His Back
Main Characters: Ben, Shaw, Hannibal
What happens: Shaw's younger brother is murdered out West, so he, Ben, and Hannibal travel to the Oregon Territory to figure out what happened. Bonus appearance from real historical figure Kit Carson.
Tropes: Desperate treks through the wilderness!, Characters are kidnapped and threatened with torture!, Characters fall in a flooded river!, Gun battles!, Poison!, Characters go through withdrawal!, Lots of Frankenstein references!, The Wild West!
Can I start here: Yes! This would be a great book to pick if you want to start in the latter half of the series.
11. Ran Away
Main Characters: Ben, Rose, Ayasha
What happens: This book is split into two stories. In the first, set ten years previously, Ben and Ayasha investigate the case of a poisoning in the Turkish ambassador's harem in Paris. In the second, Ben meets the same Turkish ambassador again in New Orleans and must defend him from a murder charge by finding the real killer.
Tropes: Dramatic hostage situations!, Gun battles!, Voodoo to manipulate public opinion!, Street urchins!, Poison!, Found family feels!, Battling preachers!, the Underground Railroad!, Les Mis-era France!, Romance!
Can I start here: Mostly yes. Again, there's some emotional tangles that work better if you know the characters, but I'd give this one a 90% "Good to Start With" ranking.
12. Good Man Friday
Main Characters: Ben, Dominique
What happens: Ben travels with Dominique, Henri, and Chloe to Washington DC to investigate a disappearance. Bonus appearance from real historical figure Edgar Allen Poe.
Tropes: Grave robbers!, Codes!, International spies!, Characters are kidnapped!, Gun battles!, Characters get shot!, Insane asylums!, Baseball!
Can I start here: Totally! (Although I sort of wouldn't recommend it because it's not my favorite book.) Ben's away from home, and that means there's less earlier character and setting development you need to know.
13. Crimson Angel
Main Characters: Ben, Rose, Hannibal
What happens: Rose's younger brother is murdered after deciding to investigate an old family story about hidden treasure. To protect themselves, Ben and Rose flee New Orleans, heading first to rural Louisiana, then Cuba, then finally Haiti. Hannibal comes along to help.
Tropes: Voodoo that seems to really work!, Found family feels!, Dramatic hostage situations!, Gun battles!, Fake dating!, Platonic bed-sharing!, Characters get shot!, Characters get stabbed!, Zombies!, Revolutionaries!, Secret treasure!, Ghost stories!
Can I start here: Mostly, yes! There's a few call-backs to previous events, but this one does a remarkable job of setting up the characters for such a late book.
There are also four short stories, which you can acquire from Amazon or Smashwords.
1. Libre: Set at an indeterminate period sometime around the first three books. Ben solves the mystery of a disappearance of a young placee; Hannibal and Dominique assist. No spoilers, but it won't give you a good sense of the characters.
2. There Shall Your Heart Be Also: Set at an indeterminate period sometime around the first five books. Ben solves the mystery of why someone is trying to steal Kentucky Williams's bible. Hannibal assists. No spoilers.
3. A Time to Every Purpose Under Heaven: Set during The Shirt on His Back. Rose solves a murder with Dominique's help. Spoilers for The Shirt on His Back, but could be read as a starter.
4. Hagar: Set during Good Man Friday. Rose solves a murder at a costume party. Hannibal and Livia assist. No spoilers, but it does count on a previous emotional engagement with the characters.
If anyone else who has read these disagrees, or has something to add, I'd love to discuss it!
![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
no subject
Date: 2015-09-25 11:02 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2015-09-25 03:09 pm (UTC)Benjamin is the best. And I'm so happy to hear you're reading the series! I hadn't realized.
no subject
Date: 2015-09-25 09:04 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2015-09-25 09:30 pm (UTC)I haven't read "Intimate Enemies". Thank you for the rec, it sounds great!
no subject
Date: 2015-09-26 12:29 pm (UTC)I believe the author has done done short stories in this universe, self published on her web site. I prefer not to give out my money details on line if possible, so ?i'm waiting for them to turn up in iBooks, like the Antryg Windrose short fiction.
no subject
Date: 2015-09-28 06:55 pm (UTC)The short stories are fantastic! I'm not sure about iTunes, but they're certainly up on Amazon and Barnes & Noble.
no subject
Date: 2015-09-28 11:51 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2015-09-26 11:50 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2015-09-28 06:50 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2016-06-22 08:24 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2016-06-25 02:57 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2016-06-26 07:10 am (UTC)Ok, must resist the urge to skip ahead and read the ending ; ) Also, no promises but I'm kinda a sucker for writing in obscure fandoms, particularly missing scenes, so maybe once I've read enough to get a feel for their voices...
no subject
Date: 2016-06-28 08:11 pm (UTC)Also, you said in one of your posts that they share a bath at one point?
THEY DO. Though okay, not until book 8, so it'll take you a while to get there.
Also, no promises but I'm kinda a sucker for writing in obscure fandoms, particularly missing scenes, so maybe once I've read enough to get a feel for their voices...
That is AWESOME to hear! Though, yes, no pressure!
no subject
Date: 2016-08-01 04:47 am (UTC)Anyway, you mentioned you would be amenable to discussing the books? If you're still up for it, I thought I'd share some of my thoughts about book 1 for now, if you aren't up for it, feel free to ignore everything after this point :)
First off, and rather unsuprisingly, I loved Hannibal. To pieces. Everything about him just made me want to wrap him in blankets-or rather have Ben wrap him in blankets and give him a large hug! Incidentally, I'll try not to query too many spoilers, but I assume with how close they seem to be getting, there are hugs between Ben and Hannibal at some point in the series? *drools hopefully* I also should have been taking notes as I read, because there were so many great little lines in there about Hannibal that would be great material to base fics on-consumptive celtic elf, for example-also as an amateur violinist myself, the music porn and feels in this book made me literally salivate at some points*mentally apologizes for oversharing a little there*
Second, I love Ben, his grief and numbness, and his slow thaw that begins towards the end of the book, as he begins to open himself up to the connections around him, and particularly his eventual acceptance of this is his home now, were a beautiful journey to take this his character, and makes me very excited to see that arch continue over the series. This is reflected in my one disappointment with the story, which was how little Hannibal and Ben there actually was for large chunks, but I guess this is very early in their relationship ; ) Also, I'm not sure if this is what you meant by a missing scene begging to be written near the end of the book, but I've started writing a scene after Shaw shows up at the fire, when Hannibal wasn't even capable of sitting up on his own-which may or may not include Ben reflecting on how little he really knows about Hannibal-ie, the man's ability to load several different types of fire arms under fire, in the dark, while coughing up a lung, and how Livia ended up inviting Hannibal over for dinner so often. I just have to swat up on my shakespeare first ; )
I was also utterly taken by Augustus Mayerling. I adore his character, the reveal near the end was beautifully written, and what a treat to find a well written, well executed, beautifully written character who just happens to be trans, in a book set in the 1850s!
Also, I'm more than a little creeped out by cockroaches right now! And more than a little in awe of how descriptive, beautiful, and downright photographic her writing style is! She really made me feel like I could almost touch the characters and their world.
I am greatly looking forward to starting Fever Season-fingers crossed for Hannibal and Ben moments, and I am so ready to meet Rose! (Also, OT3 feels are kind my personal fanfic candy, so bring on the fic ideas books!!)
I had one question, which is kind of early because I'm like ten books away, but I'm assuming that Ben and Rose have children at some point? How is that handled, particularly in terms of how it changes the dynamic with Hannibal? I'm just really hoping that a kid or two enhances/deepens the ot3ness, rather than taking away from it ; )
no subject
Date: 2016-08-09 09:58 pm (UTC)Yay, welcome back! :D And haha, no worries, since clearly I am also very slow in responding to messages. I'm so glad you enjoyed the book!
Incidentally, I'll try not to query too many spoilers, but I assume with how close they seem to be getting, there are hugs between Ben and Hannibal at some point in the series?
THERE ARE HUGS. And lots of general physical and emotional closeness! I want to list all the various things that they do together right now, but I am making myself refrain because I don't want to spoil all the enjoyment of coming across the moments in the books. But yes, don't worry! Lots of touchy-feelyness.
also as an amateur violinist myself, the music porn and feels in this book made me literally salivate at some points
That's awesome! I know basically nothing about music, but I really like to read all the musical descriptions. It's good to know that it also works for a reader who actually knows what they're talking about!
Second, I love Ben, his grief and numbness, and his slow thaw that begins towards the end of the book, as he begins to open himself up to the connections around him, and particularly his eventual acceptance of this is his home now
Yes! Hannibal is my favorite too, but I really love Ben, and the way he focuses on building a home and a family that takes in so many of the people around him is just the best thing ever.
This is reflected in my one disappointment with the story, which was how little Hannibal and Ben there actually was for large chunks, but I guess this is very early in their relationship
Yeah, the amount of shippyness varies from book to book, depending on what is happening with the main mystery plot and how much screentime that takes up. There are really only a few good Ben/Hannibal scenes in A Free Man of Color, unfortunately, though they are pretty influential for how few pages they are!
Also, I'm not sure if this is what you meant by a missing scene begging to be written near the end of the book, but I've started writing a scene after Shaw shows up at the fire, when Hannibal wasn't even capable of sitting up on his own-which may or may not include Ben reflecting on how little he really knows about Hannibal-ie, the man's ability to load several different types of fire arms under fire, in the dark, while coughing up a lung, and how Livia ended up inviting Hannibal over for dinner so often.
That is EXACTLY the missing scene I was talking about, right after the fire! It's just crying out for H/C. :D I'm so excited to hear that you're writing a fic there, and can't wait to read it.
Yes, I love Augustus too! He's such a great character, and I too was totally shocked by the revelation. I had never expected to find a trans character in historical fiction! He shows up now and then in the rest of the series, though he's never a very important character.
I am greatly looking forward to starting Fever Season-fingers crossed for Hannibal and Ben moments, and I am so ready to meet Rose!
I hope you enjoy her! She's so great. And it's awesome that you like OT3s too! I'd love to hear what you think of this book too, once you have a chance to read it.
but I'm assuming that Ben and Rose have children at some point? How is that handled, particularly in terms of how it changes the dynamic with Hannibal?
Yeah, so far they have one child. It hasn't really affected the OT3 much one way or the other, primarily because it's still a very small baby and so doesn't do much of anything. The kid doesn't really get a lot of screentime, ha. Though the newest book has one scene where Hannibal offers to become a stepfather if they need one, which is pretty OT3-y!