Seanan McGuire (seanan_mcguire) wrote,
Seanan McGuire
seanan_mcguire
  • Mood: geeky
  • Music: Taylor Swift, "Long Live."

BLACKOUT open thread!

To celebrate the release of Blackout, here. Have an open thread to discuss the book.

THERE WILL BE SPOILERS.

Seriously. If anyone comments here at all, THERE WILL BE SPOILERS. So please don't read and then yell at me because you encountered spoilers. You were warned. (I will not reply to every comment; I call partial comment amnesty. But I may well join some of the discussion, or answer questions or whatnot.)

You can also start a book discussion at my website forums, with less need to be concerned that I will see everything you say! In case you wanted, you know, discussion free of authorial influence, since I always wind up getting involved in these things.

Have fun!
Tags: blackout, mira grant, zombies
  • Post a new comment

    Error

    Anonymous comments are disabled in this journal

    switch
    default userpic

    Your reply will be screened

    Your IP address will be recorded 

    Help
  • 357 comments
Previous
← Ctrl ← Alt
Next
Ctrl → Alt →

jenk

May 24 2012, 01:34:06 UTC 5 years ago

One thought I've had re: George and Shaun is that it's not that different from Harry and Elaine in the Jim Butcher's Harry Dresden books ... except that Harry and Elaine were adopted as teens, not babies/toddlers.

(It could be that Harry and Elaine bothers some readers too, I just haven't encountered them.)

All that said: Yes, I loved when she kissed him. I was a bit surprised when she said they never wrote down that part of their relationship. I thought it would be in their written diary but then again I can see why they wouldn't (parental snoops).

jammiesest

May 24 2012, 16:58:27 UTC 5 years ago

Oooh, yes, Harry and Elaine are a good parallel! And I loved, loved, loved when she kissed him and then when he kissed her in the hotel. *happy sigh*

Deleted comment

More Expand

notalwaysweak

May 24 2012, 02:26:57 UTC 5 years ago

BECKS.

But then I was already crying at various things anyway, so that was just one more WAAAAH on a big pile of WAH WAH WAH.

It was fucking spectacular, and I most sincerely loved it all, whether you were making me cheer or breaking my heart.

seanan_mcguire

June 12 2012, 18:08:15 UTC 5 years ago

Thank you so much, sweetheart.

jennygriffee

May 24 2012, 02:44:30 UTC 5 years ago

Meant to mention my favorite line, which for some reason just about knocked me over giggling:

"Jeez. Is that a spleen?"

(....I might have a warped sense of humor.)

spitphyre

May 24 2012, 03:13:53 UTC 5 years ago

I LOLed at that too :)

seanan_mcguire

5 years ago

  • New comment

wendyzski

5 years ago

  • New comment

jennygriffee

5 years ago

  • New comment

hasufin

5 years ago

  • New comment
More Expand

effervescent

May 24 2012, 03:09:14 UTC 5 years ago Edited:  May 24 2012, 03:17:56 UTC

I loved it, I really did. It made me cry and smile and squee, and oh, my heart. I read it ahead of my best friend and then she read it today and I got to see her reactions and it was amazing because we both reacted the same way :D

Alaric and Maggie <3 And we got to see people from the first book again!

Your line about Becks and the red rain nearly undid me, honestly, and I was at work. I had to think rather determinedly about something else for a bit, there.

The only minor quibble that I had was that I desperately wished for a final S&G section at the end. I didn't realise that there was no more until I was done, and while the letter to Mahir was fabulous, I just... I wanted more! Something about them running off together and not giving a fuck who might still want them around.

Zombie moose, though. It's so perfect. They're so perfect. And thank you for the way you wrote them and the way you made it make sense.

Btw, I love Shaun, but George... The way you write her - both of them - is so wonderful. My only worry with possible worries with a movie is finding someone to do her justice!

jenfullmoon

May 24 2012, 22:59:47 UTC 5 years ago

I second that about George.

seanan_mcguire

5 years ago

  • New comment

evaleastaristev

May 24 2012, 05:50:26 UTC 5 years ago

Oh, oh, how I love and adore you. For everything that you have done with this series. Zombie bear? Dr. Abbey has been a dream.

And S&G. Oh, that was just so very beautiful. I had to put it down and cry for a moment when they kissed. And then again, later, when they were cuddling, and she was sleeping. Actually reading the sex would have been weird for this series, and that was tastefully glossed over. And it has never bothered me that they were raised siblings. They weren't, so I completely understand.

But Becks. You've heard this so many times before. But if she had to go, that was the way she had to. I knew it was coming, but oh, wow. She went out the way they were raised.

seanan_mcguire

June 12 2012, 18:02:23 UTC 5 years ago

Thank you so much. <3

Deleted comment

seanan_mcguire

May 24 2012, 14:41:26 UTC 5 years ago

Yup.

Deleted comment

cflute

5 years ago

  • New comment

seanan_mcguire

5 years ago

  • New comment

literateknits

May 24 2012, 13:45:11 UTC 5 years ago

Oh man. You people in this thread, you are my people. I can't get anyone to properly obsess over Countdown.

I have this sense of completeness right now. I'm gonna reread, because I missed a ton of stuff, but the series feels finished. I don't usually feel that way at the ends of series, so, kudos Seanan.

When Shaun asked for that coffee, that's when I broke. And when he gave Becks that Coke. ... I have feelings about characters and their favorite foods/drinks.

seanan_mcguire

May 24 2012, 14:39:44 UTC 5 years ago

I feel that way, too. Shaun needed his coffee, because he could be Shaun again.

<3

wendyzski

5 years ago

  • New comment

peachtales

May 24 2012, 14:07:47 UTC 5 years ago

It was fun.
The end.
:)

seanan_mcguire

May 24 2012, 14:39:14 UTC 5 years ago

Thank you.

phoenix_singing

May 24 2012, 14:50:12 UTC 5 years ago

The coda at the end made me smile so much. Yay for happies and fuzzies.

But the last few chapters before it made me squeak and wibble and also, BECKS. ;_;

And when Shaun started drinking coffee again and suddenly his entries were under Hail to the King, I was like...OH MY GOD, HE'S BACK, and I think I actually cried a little. :3

Anyway, this trilogy and its companion pieces have been such an amazing reading experience. The characters were flawless (George and Shaun! Dr. Abbey, oh my God. Becks. The Fox. ALL THE HEROES), the story was so beautifully written, and the ending was fantastic - no easy answers, but hope.

Well done. <3

seanan_mcguire

June 15 2012, 16:08:00 UTC 5 years ago

Thank you. :)

cirakaite

May 24 2012, 14:51:03 UTC 5 years ago

It was amazing. Full on hysterical laughter/giggling/screaming etc. There were points when I put it down because I had to work, then half an hour later I would think of a scene or a line (Favourite line ever, "Last guy I was interested in turned out to be an incestuous necrophiliac, so no, not currently dating.") and just randomly have the hysterical giggles again. It made my heart hurt, and when Shaun and George met in Seattle, I couldn't keep reading because it was so perfect, I needed to let it absorb.

Becks was fabulous, and broke my heart so many times, and Shaun at the end with his mental George and the real George... ♥

The only sad part was not seeing an S or G pov at the very end. I will hold out hope for a mini-story someday in which motorcycles and zombie moose feature prominently, but until then, I'll reread the snuggling scenes (and the entire book, obviously) and imagine them killing dead things in Canada.

jenfullmoon

May 24 2012, 23:01:27 UTC 5 years ago

I would like the mini-story.

I also kinda wonder about Mahir and Maggie in Seattle, for some reason. Or the Alisa/Alaric reunion or how the hell he and Maggie got romantically involved.

janetmiles

5 years ago

  • New comment

seanan_mcguire

5 years ago

  • New comment

snowcoma

May 24 2012, 14:58:21 UTC 5 years ago

CHEESE! AND! CAKE! ZOMBIES! AND! GUNS!


I got exactly the ending I was hoping for, and would like to declare my continued and undying love for you.

My hands were literally shaking as I bought this, I was that excited over it! I consider this my birthday present from you (just had mine on the 19th).

*ALL THE HUGS*

literateknits

May 24 2012, 15:32:53 UTC 5 years ago

HAIL THE ZOMBIES AND GUNS!

snowcoma

5 years ago

  • New comment

droewyn

5 years ago

  • New comment

snowcoma

5 years ago

  • New comment
More Expand

herefox

May 24 2012, 15:37:59 UTC 5 years ago

I have to say I was a bit worried when I saw a tweet about your sister wandering around glaring at you due to the ending but it wrapped up exactly perfectly though I didn't have a clue how they were going to manage to pull everything together until the end (so happy that Rick and Ryman hadn't REALLY joined the darkside, it made me sad to think that they had!)

I was also vastly amused at reading the various versions of people that I actually know in real life that have pseudo cameos *grin*

Loved it!

seanan_mcguire

June 12 2012, 18:00:43 UTC 5 years ago

Yay!

I'm so glad.

ext_209138

May 24 2012, 16:49:34 UTC 5 years ago

Okay, now that I've read the entire trilogy I guess I can finally ask this: can you explain how retinal KA causes light sensitivity, please? I know it's mentioned but I either missed some crucial bit of information or I'm having a mental block in my understanding...

Here's my reasoning: for the most part I think you've done a fantastic job of portraying George's disability, for lack of a better word. I found it all pretty much spot on and that especially includes her dealing with no longer having this problem. (Though, I can't say I have any experience with that but it actually jives with my thoughts on the psychology of being born blind.) However, I'm still vaguely confused about one almost throwaway statement from the first book where George's asserts that she doesn't need to blink because her eyes no longer require lubrication...which doesn't really mesh with my understanding of light sensitivity coping methods. In specific, squinting and blinking become almost involuntary as a means to deal with nasty, painful light sources. Or at least the ones that don't completely wipe out a photophobic person's vision. Unless that's not an issue for someone with retinal KA, which brings me back to my question above.

Anyway, I read Blackout yesterday and I am reeling from it to the point that any coherent thoughts are currently beyond me. So, well done and thanks for an awesome ride. :-)

dornbeast

May 25 2012, 23:14:13 UTC 5 years ago

Retinal KA doesn't cause light sensitivity, it locks the iris at maximum opening. Think about the last time you woke up in the middle of the night, and turned on the light. That blinding flash of light from what should be a 100-watt bulb, before your eyes adjust to the increase in light? That's Georgia's world, all the time.

Squinting and blinking are impractical solutions - as I remember from the scene at the horse barn, even with her eyes closed, daylight is difficult for her to handle. (My copy of Feed is still on loan to a friend.)

ext_209138

5 years ago

  • New comment

seanan_mcguire

5 years ago

  • New comment

dornbeast

5 years ago

  • New comment

ext_209138

5 years ago

  • New comment

dornbeast

5 years ago

  • New comment

effervescent

5 years ago

  • New comment

ext_209138

5 years ago

  • New comment

ext_209138

5 years ago

  • New comment

seanan_mcguire

5 years ago

  • New comment

jammiesest

May 24 2012, 16:56:02 UTC 5 years ago

If Newsflesh could only be a trilogy, then it couldn't have had a more perfect ending. I did a full review on blogger and Goodreads, and I won't be an ass and re-post it, but in case Ms. McGuire never sees it, I wanted to share the final sentence:

Ms. Grant wrote 632 pages full of lightning rather than lightning bugs, and I am thankful that she was willing to share them with us, and thankful that Orbit helped her do so.

And now, feeling as though I have found my people, I shall go peruse the discussions!

seanan_mcguire

June 12 2012, 18:00:15 UTC 5 years ago

Yay!

Michael Scheuerman

May 24 2012, 19:08:23 UTC 5 years ago

I just finished Blackout, and the scars are a bit fresh (Becks) to let me go beyond really, really liking the book and the trilogy. I know that as I let things settle in I will appreciate or maybe even love the ending more. It isn't a perfect ending, which I DO love so much more than I can say.

"the live happily long enough" indeed.

When will you rise?

seanan_mcguire

June 12 2012, 16:08:32 UTC 5 years ago

Thank you.

<3

Deleted comment

wendyzski

May 25 2012, 00:03:36 UTC 5 years ago

"If God had Seanan on staff, Reality would have a MUCH better plot."

And MUCH better dialogue!

"You brought me a mouthy clone...and it isn't even my birthday!"

janetmiles

5 years ago

  • New comment

owenblacker

5 years ago

  • New comment

seanan_mcguire

5 years ago

  • New comment

lady_ravenlocke

May 24 2012, 20:44:31 UTC 5 years ago

I just wanted to take a moment, having just finished the book, and say thank you, Seanan.

Thank you for writing this.
Thank you for sharing this.
Thank you for writing what is probably the single most satisfying ending to a book series I've read in years.
Thank you for being an inspiration.

Just, thanks. :)

owenblacker

June 3 2012, 19:26:02 UTC 5 years ago

What she said.

seanan_mcguire

5 years ago

  • New comment

droewyn

May 25 2012, 00:32:35 UTC 5 years ago

I just want to say that the Adventure/Colossal Caves reference was the best reference.

seanan_mcguire

May 25 2012, 14:26:42 UTC 5 years ago

YAY!

dormouse_in_tea

5 years ago

  • New comment

Charles Ellis

May 25 2012, 01:43:21 UTC 5 years ago

I am hoping that The Fox is a meaningful reference of some sort that I'm just not getting, otherwise I'll be forced to complain that she is misnamed. She strikes me as being some kind of bizarre humanoid hybrid offspring of Happy Bunny and Bun-bun.

And you, Miss McGuire, are evil. I am convinced you must have somehow timed the release of Blackout to occur the same day as the start of mosquito season. As if they aren't annoying enough, I swear that some of them are bigger than they were last year.

dornbeast

May 25 2012, 23:17:45 UTC 5 years ago

I think her physical description is partly drawn from a real-world person. I could be wrong, though.

Her mental state appears to be primarily Seanan's creation.

estelendur

5 years ago

  • New comment

seanan_mcguire

5 years ago

  • New comment

idancewithlife

May 25 2012, 04:58:24 UTC 5 years ago

I... um... wow.

I thought I knew these characters and this series. I didn't really have any conscious sense of what would happen when I picked up the book, but I also felt that it would feel predictable as I read it.

It didn't. At all.

Every new scene had me first going, "What the hell?" and then going,"Well, of course. That makes perfect sense."

I love that it's predictable that you won't be predictable.

I loved that in the middle of an intense fight scene, when I was tense wondering if someone I cared about was going to die, you made me laugh.

I am so jazzed that the heroes got to stop being heroes and turn the next step over to someone else. That almost never happens in an adventure story.

This qualifies as one of the best books, and one of the best trilogies I've ever read.

Thank you.

seanan_mcguire

June 15 2012, 14:34:24 UTC 5 years ago

You are very welcome.

wendyzski

May 25 2012, 18:23:22 UTC 5 years ago

After a brief visit to the thrift store, I am now in possession of all the items necessary to cosplay Dr. Abbey at Windycon.
(Except the rifle, but we can't have everything...)

vixyish

May 25 2012, 20:37:52 UTC 5 years ago

Even the dog? :)

wendyzski

5 years ago

  • New comment

owenblacker

5 years ago

  • New comment

seanan_mcguire

5 years ago

  • New comment

ash_of_roses

May 25 2012, 19:41:44 UTC 5 years ago

Just finished reading Blackout in about one sitting, reading one-handed while making a pot of coffee somewhere in the middle. I'd been kinda withholding judgment until Blackout for some parts of Deadline that I didn't like, and in the frame of the larger story ALL IS LOVE. There's only one thing I'd been speculating about that is never directly addressed, but is so firmly part of my headcannon that I'm thinking I might try my hand at fanfiction for the first time in a while. (If the cannon doesn't contradict me I must be right! Right? >.>)

dornbeast

May 25 2012, 23:22:08 UTC 5 years ago

If the cannon does not contradict you, then fire it.

If the canon does not contradict you, then you are as right as you want to be.

seanan_mcguire

5 years ago

  • New comment

aubade_saudade

May 25 2012, 21:58:19 UTC 5 years ago

Overall, I liked it a LOT.

seanan_mcguire

June 11 2012, 17:40:34 UTC 5 years ago

I am very glad.

estelendur

May 25 2012, 23:22:06 UTC 5 years ago

Relevant

Shaun & George are adorable/perfect :)
Becks ;-;
Mahir :D

seanan_mcguire

June 3 2012, 21:52:33 UTC 5 years ago

So relevant.

I love that comic.

groblek

May 26 2012, 04:39:59 UTC 5 years ago

I had to wait until last night to pick up Blackout so that work wouldn't suffer from my being distracted, and it was absolutely the right thing to do. :) Blackout is an amazing book - you most certainly succeeded in bringing this series to a satisfying conclusion. And when I got to the part where Georgia has to prove to Shaun she is who she claims to be by demonstrating the one thing they hadn't written down, I actually put the book down and said aloud "Seanan, you rock!". It was one of those moments where I was completely surprised and yet it made perfect sense as everything fell into place. You're very good at keeping something hidden from us readers and then having it make perfect sense when revealed, and I quite enjoy that feeling as it all clicks for me. Very well done, and I look forward to Sarah finishing too so that we can squee about the book together. :)

seanan_mcguire

June 12 2012, 18:11:19 UTC 5 years ago

Thank you so much!
Previous
← Ctrl ← Alt
Next
Ctrl → Alt →