There are no stars at all for some of us

[sovay]

Hey! Internet! I've just been talking about how much it sucks when a novel kills off its queer characters. Especially when there's, like, one of them and they're the one who doesn't make it. Can someone point me toward a list of books where that doesn't happen? Spoilers, whatever.

Comments

[sovay]

The hot lady assassin was also sadly not interested, but this was because she generally made poor romantic choices.)

I am very fond of the first three Quarters books, which I re-read this past summer for the first time since high school. They have a kind of idfic intensity that held up very well combined with the genuine fucking creepiness of everything relating to the fifth kigh. I could have used a little more numinous, but I am particular that way.

the heroine of Hild is bisexual and is the protagonist, so therefore seems likely to survive at least 'til the end of the series.

Agreed, and Hild is awesome. I actually thought of it while writing about Mary Stewart earlier today—its closest relative in many ways is, I think, The Crystal Cave. Although Hild has a lot more sex than Stewart's Merlin.

a.) that is kind of inherent in the premise

Year-kings, huh?

and b.) there are at least four more who make it to the end.

Sweet. I will check that novel out; I have not read it.

Melina Marchetta's Finnikin of the Rock series is one of those book series where everyone ends up as part of a Designated Couple, and there is only one Designated Gay Couple, but BY GOD is that Designated Gay Couple going to have a decades-spanning romance and a happy ending!

And I've never even heard of this series! Thank you.

[skygiants]

The Quarters books are my FAVORITE nineties idfic. I'm still not over the scene in which Bannon comes up with a complex ploy to get his body back, which is then revealed just to be a complex ploy to have sex with himself. And all the INCREDIBLY CREEPY SAD ZOMBIES. ;___; Did you ever read the fourth one? I also reread the first books recently, but I never read the fourth and I'm wavering on whether it's worth it for completionism...

Yep, The Summer Prince is year-kings -- it's about the intersection of art and politics, and the impact that can be made with short-term power. I highly recommend it.

I also super enjoyed the Finnikin books, but for the record the gay characters don't appear until Book 2, which is coincidentally the same time that the trilogy takes a left-turn from Serious Second-World Fantasy About National Trauma into something more akin to the unholy offspring of Gormenghast and a Wes Anderson movie...which is of course when I love it best, it's AMAZING.

[sovay]

I also reread the first books recently, but I never read the fourth and I'm wavering on whether it's worth it for completionism...

rosefox hated it for what sounded like very good reasons, so I don't plan to.

the intersection of art and politics, and the impact that can be made with short-term power. I highly recommend it.

Awesome. Thank you!

the trilogy takes a left-turn from Serious Second-World Fantasy About National Trauma into something more akin to the unholy offspring of Gormenghast and a Wes Anderson movie...

Whaaaaaaaaa.

I'll try to read that, then.