As a fangirl, having something to look forward to – a book, a movie, a tv show – is essential to my emotional health. Those bright-hot moments of anticipation, the little mental movies I play, imagining all the wonderful and exciting adventures to come – these things keep my internal fire lit. They keep me going. In an increasingly dark world, fandom is one of my only lifelines…but lately, I just haven’t found much to be excited about.
Enter: Daredevil, Season Three.
Okay, yes, I realize S3 isn’t anything new. I think it came out in, what, 2018? But due to a weird set of circumstances, I didn’t know it existed until a few months ago. Long before we had a Netflix subscription, I nicked the Daredevil Season One DVD set from my dad, and got Season Two as a much-anticipated birthday gift. I knew about The Defenders, and waited for it to come out on DVD while searching for news about a possible Daredevil S3. The main article I read stated that S3 was highly unlikely to happen. A bummer, for sure, but I’m no stranger to cancellation disappointment **cough**Forever**cough**Limitless and was grateful for the two full seasons we got. As soon as we subscribed to Netflix (thank you, Lucifer!), I happily watched The Defenders, and figured that was that.
So, years went by – yes, years! – with me having no clue that another whole season of Daredevil was right under my nose. I think my brother even mentioned S3 in a phone call, and I dismissed it as a mistake. Shame on me – I should have known he’d never make such an error about a Marvel show! Then again, I’m kind of glad I didn’t question him right then, because it would have totally changed when and how I found out about S3.
Near the end of 2021, on a total whim, I decided to watch the episode “Nelson vs. Murdock.” It’s one of my favorite S1 episodes, because Foggy finally knows the secret. And, being the lazy bum that I am, I figured who wants to get off the couch, pull out a disc, and pop it in the player when you have the magic of streaming right on your tablet? So I put my Netflix subscription to good use, and, for the first time, watched an episode of Daredevil on the service rather than on my DVD player. And there it was, just sitting nonchalantly in the drop-down menu: Seasons 1, 2, 3.
Even then, I thought it might be a mistake. Like, maybe they were listing The Defenders as the third season of Daredevil. I clicked on S3, caught a glimpse of some episode titles, and knew in a beat that it wasn’t The Defenders. It was a brand new season of Daredevil, just waiting there for me like the best Christmas gift ever. My fangirl heart gave a howl of joy, and I happily commenced with re-watching S2 and The Defenders in anticipation of my first viewing of S3.
Little did I know, I was running out of time.
There are many things I love about Netflix (I mean come on, they savedLucifer – if that doesn’t earn a lifetime of goodwill from me, nothing could). But one thing I really don’t like is how they take content away without reasonable warning. A movie or show that’s always been on your list can simply vanish without a trace. The only warning you might get, if you’re lucky, is a little notice at the top of the screen – IF you happen to be watching that particular movie or show in the month before it is scheduled to be removed. Otherwise, your content is simply gone, and if you wanted to watch it one more time, that’s just too bad for you.
Thankfully, I got lucky, both in the fact that I discovered Season Three when I did, and that I was actively watching S2 in the month before Netflix was going to take all the Marvel shows away. I did some quick math, and figured out that if I binged hard, I could still finish my re-watch of S2 and The Defenders, watch all of S3, and then have a few days left over to re-watch any S3 eps that caught my fancy.
It worked out beautifully. Normally, I try to resist binge watching because then the content is gone too soon. When I’m enjoying something, I like to draw it out as much as possible (Prime example of my insanely powerful restraint: I still haven’t watched the final season of Lucifer!). In this case, though, I had no choice but to watch it fast and furious, sometimes two episodes per night. Instead of holding myself back, I had every excuse to just let go and indulge. Wanna know what happens next? Guess what, you don’t have to wait! Just watch the next episode right now! It was glorious.
What made it even better was the fact that I really loved Season Three! It was by far my favorite season of the lot. I liked S2 more than S1 because it had romance, Foggy knew the secret, there was a cool juxtaposition between Daredevil and The Punisher, and I thought the writers did a better job of giving Matt some deficits as a blind person. That said, the main villain of S2 is an organization, and it’s hard to do character development with an organization. I really admired the way they developed Wilson Fisk in S1, and that was a little bit missing in S2. Thankfully, that beautiful character development was back in S3, where we got to know more about Foggy, Karen, and Matt’s families, as well as doing a deep dive into new characters Ray Nadeem and Ben Poindexter.
I got so invested in Ray and his family – I really, really didn’t want him to die, and my heart tore a little when he did. But the truly impressive thing was how the writers actually made Dex, who commits mass murder and all other manner of atrocities, a character you could also feel for. I mean, to see someone that screwed up trying so hard not to give in to his screwed-up nature, and then have someone manipulate that situation for their own gain, effectively ruining him in the process…I did have some (limited) sympathy.
All in all, Daredevil Season Three was everything I could have asked for – full of hurt/comfort, character development, people trying to do the right thing in horrifyingly bad circumstances, amazing fight sequences (the prison escape, the Bulletin massacre, the church attack), and what I wanted most: Matt, Foggy, and Karen reconnecting and their friendship looking stronger than ever. I was excited for the future of the characters, even though I’d likely never get to see what that future was. It left me smiling and wanting to write Daredevil fanfiction for the first time ever.
I’ve heard Daredevil makes a brief appearance in Spider-Man: Far From Home. So, I’ll probably get to see Matt one more time, at least. I truly hope Disney chooses to do something more with these great characters, but even if they don’t, I am okay. The joy I got from Season Three will last this fangirl a good, long time. 🙂
I scribbled these notes ages ago, and thought I’d better post them before 5b drops (May 28th, people! It’s almost here!!). Readers beware: this isn’t a proper review of Season Five, because I can’t really judge something that isn’t complete. So, instead I give you some random fangirl thoughts and feels! (Plus, since you’re such good DevilBunnies, a few Lucific recs to boot.) 🙂
Episode 1: Really Sad Devil Guy
Great opener! We get to see how Chloe and Luce are coping in their separate realities. I love the Chlaze partnership. It has been WAY too long since we’ve seen Chloe and Maze as anything more than frosty acquaintances. Having them be friends and even work partners was like a delicious peppermint candy. Too bad I got greedy and crunched it up. It was gone far too soon. Seriously, just one episode and then poof to the Chloe/Maze relationship? Such a bummer. Hope it’s back in 5b. Other things I loved about this ep:
-The wistful expression on Lucifer’s face when he looks out across Marina del Rey. That aching sadness in his eyes says more than words ever could about how long he’s been away from the world – and the people – he loves.
-The parallel case solving, with Lucifer in Hell and Chloe in LA. So cool! It was awesome how they went up and down between the two dimensions and sometimes when a scene started you didn’t know yet where it was taking place.
-Mr. Said Out Bitch! Of course he had to be in it, because it’s a season opener! But, on the downside…he’s dead now, so what does that mean for the Season Six premiere? Souls coming to Earth? A trip down to the underworld? I hope they found a creative way to include him in the final opener. 🙂
-The demon that came to talk to Chloe – he was so cheerful and happy and friendly, which was at complete odds with the fact of him inhabiting this horribly wounded dead body. He’s all chipper and like, “Hi! I’m a demon!” right after choking on a throatful of blood. He even apologizes for being “gross.” Hilarious. I think we need this demon back again. Though sadly it would have to be a different actor portraying him, since that body was apparently “too jacked to keep working,” lol.
-Speaking of demons, we learned that various “characters” who appear in the Hell loops are actually played by demons. Does this include the version of Uriel that Lucifer saw in his own Hell loop? Was that a demon torturing his own king? Just something interesting the episode made me think about!
-The ending was a twist! I’d accidentally been spoiled about the Michael thing beforehand (this is why I try to avoid Twitter), but the writers still fooled me. I totally thought it was Lucifer who came to save Chloe and Lee’s sister at the end. My jaw dropped a little at the reveal that Luce was still in Hell. Me loves to be surprised. 😀
Episode 2: Lucifer! Lucifer! Lucifer!
If you ignore the fact that it’s Michael and not Lucifer, this episode is actually really shippy. Chloe is flirting, concerned about his well-being, trying to understand the struggles he’s facing after being in Hell for so long. In short, she’s being a really sweet, awesome girlfriend. The makeout scene with Maze/Michael is hard to swallow because of how much it hurts poor Chloe. So glad she realizes in the end that it wasn’t really Luci, cuz he would never do that to her. Still, ouch! I like how Tom is playing Michael, using a distinctive posture/accent and the whole wimpy/whiny/bitchy vibe to really sell that it’s two different characters. I love, love, love Chloe shooting him at the end. 🙂 Too bad it didn’t take the sting out of Michael letting the whole miracle thing out of the bag (something I totally believe Lucifer would’ve told her himself if he’d had more time on Earth). Also, on a somewhat random note, the scorpion at this beginning of this ep looked very nice, and was the first of many superb special effects this season, making me wonder if the show got a bigger effects budget, or if it’s some improvement on the technology side of things. Whatever the cause, Lucifer seems to have upped its FX ante, and I am loving the eye candy. Keep it coming!
Episode 3: ¡Diablo!
My first instinct was that this episode was too goofy for dealing with the heavy subject matter of Chloe grappling with the whole miracle sitch. However, it’s a hard episode not to love, and it’s definitely grown on me with repeated viewings. For once it is Chloe and not Lucifer who is searching for the answer to personal problems in between the lines of their current case, so that’s a fun reversal. Too bad the person she thought had the answers was actually a psycho killer chick! As a huge Deckerstar fan, it was rough not to have a real reunion like the characters deserved, because it was already tainted by the miracle revelation. 😦 But instead of the longed-for Deckerstar, we did at least get some Douchifer, which was totally on my wishlist for S5 after being sorely lacking last season. Other highlights of this ep:
-Diablo – OMG, how could you not love this sweet, dumb-yet-somehow-smart actor taking his role way too seriously? It was so great how no one ever even called him by his real name. He was just “Diablo.” How could his costar kill him? How could anyone? It’s like shooting a litter of newborn chinchillas with an AK-47. You just can’t. Plus he solved the case! Diablo FTW, Dad rest his soul. 🙂
-The clown room in Hell. Do I even need to say anything here? Totally priceless.
-Dan, Ella, and Lucifer acting out a ¡Diablo! episode. Best. Scene. Ever. “Now I can…put my bra back on?” ROFL!
-Lucifer mentions being able to “listen to” Chloe’s conversation from well outside a room with the door closed, and also talks about Dan’s bone density like it’s something Lucifer can actually see. Are these hints at some devilish superhuman sensory abilities? My fangirl heart hopes so! 🙂
Episode 4: It Never Ends Well for the Chicken
I enjoyed this one as much as I could, given that it’s one of those eps. By those, I mean the noir-style, black-and-white, everybody-playing-a-different-character eps. A lot of shows do these. Smallville did one. They’re not really my jam. The fact that this one is Lucifer telling a story to Trixie about events that actually happened saves it a little bit, as does the fact that it moves Maze’s arc forward, but still, this type of episode is never going to be a favorite for me. (Ditto for musical episodes – not my style. At all.) I hope the people who do like this sort of thing enjoyed it!
Cool things about this ep:
-As mentioned above, these were actual events, not a dream or fantasy sequence (which most episodes of this type tend to be) so kudos on that.
-DB Woodside’s character was HIL-arious! Ditto for Kevin Alejandro’s prissy, super-wimpy counterpart. 🙂 Those guys must’ve had such a blast. In general, it looked like everyone was really having fun with their new roles, which was cool to watch.
-Sooooo nice to see Tricia back! Made me miss Charlotte (and Mum) so much! The love story between her and Lauren’s character was touching to watch, as was Rachel Harris’s character’s devotion to her beloved wounded war veteran.
-Lesley-Ann did a great job portraying Lilith. The friendship between Lily and Lucifer was sweet. I especially liked when they sang “Someone to Watch Over You.” It was very clear they’d been through a lot together and had a mutual respect for each other.
-I love that we got some Trixie/Lucifer scenes – there are never enough of these, and they’re always gold. Part of me was a little sad at the reveal that Trixie was just manipulating Lucifer to get information for Maze. It makes total sense, though – Trixie has outgrown her “complete adoration” phase when it come to Lucifer, so of course her loyalties would lie with Maze, who treats her as a best friend and doesn’t just call her “child” or “offspring,” lol. Plus, Trixie has always had a taste for cold hard cash. 🙂
We learned a lot about Lilith here, including that she was immortal until fairly recently, that she “chose” to have soulless children and send them to Hell to be Lucifer’s army, and that her immortality now resides in Lucifer’s ring. There are still so many questions, though! Like, I feel stupid for asking this, but what exactly is she? I mean, is she a previously-unkillable human like Cain? Or is she another sort of creature entirely? Do her children have fathers (or a father)?
ETA: I actually did a little research on the history of Lilith throughout various religious texts and early folklore, and there was not a lot of agreement on what she is, though I did find references to her being Adam’s first wife, and her having tons and tons of demonic children – in some accounts they are Adam’s, in other accounts the fathers are men she had sex with or stole “seed” from in their sleep. She is associated with owls and other night creatures/demons, and is often depicted with wings and sometimes with scales/reptile features. In some stories she is actually the serpent in the Garden of Eden, rather than Lucifer! Lilith was believed by many to prey on men for sex and to harm women (especially pregnant ones) and children in their sleep. In some versions she left Adam and the Garden because she refused to be anything less than Adam’s equal, which has made her a symbol of female empowerment. One last interesting tidbit: in one of the tales, God commands that 100 of Lilith’s children be slaughtered every day until she returns to Eden. In our Luci-verse, perhaps this could be the real reason she “chose” to send her kids to Hell? To protect them from God’s wrath? Hmmmm….
Episode 5: Detective Amenadiel
A fantastic ep, and arguably my favorite of the season! 😀 Chloe and Amenadiel have this great dynamic and we almost never get to see them spending time together, so this was a real treat. In this ep we also got more Douchifer (YESSSSSSS!! Bracelet Bros, FTW!), and got to see Amenadiel be a kick@$$ angel with an impressive show of power at the end there. I love the title’s double meaning, because Amenadiel is not only helping to solve a murder here – he is also solving a major problem for his little bro and Chloe. Amenadiel’s wonderful insight into the Deckerstar dilemma felt so refreshing and so right after all the agony both characters have been through thinking they were forced to have feelings for each other and that their relationship was all some grand manipulation by a higher power.
“You are the only mortal who sees him as he truly is.”
“He thinks you choose to be vulnerable with me.”
**cue Deckerstar fangirl squeals!!!!**
Episode 6: BluBallz
Aaaand our nice moment gets interrupted by a murder! Thanks a lot, Ella! I did really like the bait and switch at the beginning, when it looked like we were watching Chloe and Lucifer together and it was really just some random teenagers fooling around on the beach. And then it looked like the teenagers were going to get killed, but the weapon turned out to be a squirt gun. Very playful on the part of the writers. Fun stuff. 🙂
So, we got to meet one of Chloe’s exes. I didn’t like him at all, but I don’t think we were supposed to, lol! He just seemed very…empty. Like there wasn’t a whole lot beneath the handsome exterior. His “niceness” felt false, as if it were merely an act he was putting on to impress people while hoping they didn’t look too deep. As far as Chloe’s exes go, Dan has way more character in his pinky finger than this guy!
Still, jealousy is not anyone’s best color, and even Lucifer can’t quite make that green envy look good. I couldn’t really blame him too much though because he and Chloe just got together and yet she tells What’s-His-Face (seriously, I forgot his name) that she’s not in a relationship. Right in front of Lucifer. Ouch. Dang, Decker – that was cold. I mean, true, it was probably too soon to define their relationship as “dating,” but she could’ve said something closer to the truth, like, “Actually, I am involved with someone right now. It’s still really early, but we’re seeing where it goes.” I’m just saying, you could see why Luce got upset. And unfortunately, when he gets upset, he acts out in very ridiculous and childish ways.
Despite the silliness and stupidity of Lucifer’s antics, this episode actually had some major events:
-Tribe Night #2 (Love it like crazy, especially the Chloe/Linda talk about sex with Lucifer, and “nice” Maze barely surviving small talk with Karen)
-Dan sees the Devil Face (OMDOMDOMD!). Love how Michael was the one who orchestrated this event. Double love Charlie’s reaction to Uncle Lucifer’s monstrous side. 🙂 The baby loves it, ROFL! Charlie would probably really like Maze’s demon face too. That kid’s gonna need sooooo much therapy when he grows up. Good thing Linda’s his mom! 🙂
-Chloe and Lucifer finally, finally make it past their NUMEROUS issues and actually get together!!!! WOO HOO!!!!
Episode 7: Our Mojo
Great episode here! Definitely a S5 favorite. This one starts out all cute and fluffy, but quickly goes down a dark path as the team hunts a particularly vicious killer. Some shows do serial killers on a weekly basis and it gets old pretty fast, but on Lucifer these types of cases are a rare event, often reserved for multi-ep arcs like this one. When we face a serial killer on this show, I know it’s going to be epic and it’s really going to change things for the characters, so I am instantly on high alert.
Oh, poor Detective Douche. His graveyard breakdown talking to Charlotte was absolutely heart-shattering. Kudos to Kevin on that scene, and just in general for making us care so deeply about a character who could easily be unlikable given all the stuff he’s done in the past. Dan’s stolen evidence and gotten people killed and basically even put a hit on Lucifer in S4, and yet somehow we still love him and I’d say that’s in large part due to Kevin’s portrayal.
Then “angelic” Michael shows up, and the scene shifts from devastating to nauseating. I’m sorry, but Michael is just so icky! He’s like nails on a chalkboard mated with tin foil scraping across my teeth. If this character has any redeeming qualities, they’ve yet to make themselves known.
In this ep, Michael introduces himself as an archangel. I believe this is the first use of the term on the show and the first indication of “ranks” among the angels. On Supernatural they had four of these angels: Michael, Gabriel, Raphael, and Lucifer. They were the most powerful angels and killing them required a special weapon (an archangel blade), as regular angel blades would not hurt them. In this case, since it was Michael referring to himself, I kind of brushed it off as him trying to sound really important and special. Yet, in the next episode, Lucifer also refers to Michael as an archangel. So I’m assuming Michael really is one. We’ve yet to learn what this means on the show and if any of the other angels carry that title.
The mojo swap was the fun part of this otherwise serious episode, but it did hurt to see Lucifer so distressed, and I think Linda had a point about Chloe not taking the issue seriously. I love how Lucifer compensated for the loss by getting his own badge and gun (ROFL!) and I love, love, love how Chloe used Lucifer’s gun to stop the super creepy killer guy.
Great cliffhanger ending with Dan holding the gun on Luce! Part of me suspected that Michael would send Dan to kill Lucifer, but for some reason I thought it would be with a supernatural weapon (possibly Azrael’s blade, retrieved from the other universe). The fact that it was just an ordinary gun makes me wonder if Michael really intended Lucifer to die, or if Michael somehow knew what we find out in Ep 8 – that Lucifer is once again fully invulnerable.
Episode 8: Spoiler Alert
Speaking of which…oh no, the vulnerability around Chloe is kaput! They hinted a bit at this in the previous episode, with Lucifer looking very troubled over the fact that he’s let his guard down so much. This set-up seems to indicate that he subconsciously decided to put his walls back up, and thus made himself bulletproof again, but I’m not sure that’s the case. I think other forces may be at work. In any case, I hope he gets the vulnerability back at some point, because without it, every fanfic I’ve ever read, written, or planned to write is kinda dead in the water. 😦
I’m glad we had a few light moments at the beginning of this one (Lucifer shooting himself and delighting at the lack of damage, Chloe’s expression when Lucifer happily agrees to her sarcastic suggestion to split up), because after that it gets DARK.
Chloe’s kidnapping and the search for her is so intense. Whenever I’m squirming in my seat while watching an episode, it means I’m really, really nervous about what’s going to happen, and I was writhing like a bag of snakes while watching this one!
I was afraid from early on in the ep that the real Whisper Killer might be Pete. It’s always the nice guys, right? I was really hoping it wasn’t, because he seemed so sweet and so perfect for Ella, but once he gave her that key to his house, I knew for sure it was him. My heart breaks for poor Ella, but at least she’s alive (the writers had me scared for a minute there), and the team finally did figure out where Chloe was with a little help from a very intoxicated Dan. Plus we got our first reference to events from the episode “Boo Normal,” which was cool. 😀
Of course, not all’s well that ends well. Ella is an offscreen wreck, Chloe is insecure about Lucifer’s feelings for her (as a viewer, I have NO doubt whatsoever that he loves her, but I understand how it feels from her perspective: she’s been unceremoniously dumped – twice – for reasons totally beyond her comprehension, and that would give anyone serious misgivings), Michael’s scheming as always, Dan’s barely clinging to sanity, Maze is once again in hardcore betrayal mode, and Amenadiel’s having a time-freezing panic attack.
I initially thought Chloe’s frozenness had something to do with Lucifer starting to say the “L” word, like he inadvertently set some sort of apocalypse in motion by saying it, but thankfully I was wrong. Poor Amenadiel just doesn’t want Charlie to die. 😦 What parent wouldn’t stop time for their kid if they had the power to do so?
Re: Maze: It hurts to see her fighting alongside Michael, but honestly, can you blame her? Lucifer treats her like complete crap. He is totally insensitive to her feelings, as if she is not capable of emotion or attachments, when she has shown very clearly (through her bonds to Trixie and Linda) that she is capable of those things. Lucifer uses her when he needs her, but otherwise casts her aside like she’s worthless. So yeah, no wonder she sides with Michael.
Which makes it a more even fight, and what an EPIC fight it is! OMD, once again I bow to the show’s FX gods. That broken glass scene was especially phenomenal. Truly breathtaking!
And then, as if we needed even more drama heaped on top of it all, God shows up! All I can say is: a) I did NOT see that coming at all, and b) what appropriate casting :D.
So, I have no freaking idea where all of this is going, but for me that makes it way more fun. I hate spoilers and love surprises and I’m so ready for the next chapter in this incredible story. Can’t wait for May 28th!
If you need something to keep you from squirming like a bag of snakes while you wait, check out these two awesome and totally epic Lucifics (As always, please read the content and age-level warnings before you start reading the actual stories. The second one, in particular, has very graphic and adult content.):
Summary: What if Kinley’s poison still managed to find its way into Lucifer that night? Can Lucifer and Chloe learn to trust each other again, or will Lucifer run if he can recover?
Summary: After a five month absence, an amnesiac Lucifer returns from Hell, mysteriously cursed to fulfill Chloe Decker’s every desire—the first pull from an apocalyptic house of cards. As natural order shows signs of structural collapse, Lucifer and Chloe must discover how to free him from his bonds, and solve the puzzle of his reappearance. Meanwhile, their newest murder investigation draws them deep into an exploration of BDSM. Harbingers, Hell, devilish hijinks, and kinks. What’re a beleaguered Devil and Detective to do?
Enjoy, and I’ll be thinking of y’all on May 28th! 😀
Viewing Season Four – or Series Four, as they call it on Netflix – of Lucifer was a unique experience in several ways. It was my first time getting to see a canceled show come back to life on a new platform, and also my very first time using a streaming service. I had no idea what to expect going into this adventure, and was equal parts excited and nervous.
How hard would it be to set up Netflix? What if it didn’t work and I couldn’t see the show I’d been waiting so many months for? Of course, I had planned to get all the technical stuff sorted out and watch a few other Netflix shows as a test run before the Lucifer premiere date, but you know what happens when you make plans. In short, Neil Gaiman laughed.
As is usually the case with my life, I found myself right up against the deadline, scrambling to get the service set up the day before the new season was scheduled to drop. I didn’t know how fast or slow I would watch Season Four as a whole, but I did know I wanted to watch that first episode on the same day as everyone else…assuming the darn technology would cooperate.
I am happy to say that despite certain glitches, it all worked out just fine, and I settled into a cozy mattress for one of the happiest experiences this fangirl will probably ever have: Lucifer: Season 4.
Going into this new season, my main fear was that the Netflix version of the show would be very different from the one I knew and loved. However, when the first ep opened up with the familiar scene of Lucifer singing in Lux, followed by the entrance of Mr. Said Out Bitch – who is by this point a Lucifer season premiere requirement – I started to relax. I quickly realized that it really was going to be the same show I always adored – just with a few extra naked butts and swears thrown in to great effect.
My other concern was the length of the season – only ten episodes? I mean, don’t get me wrong, I wasn’t complaining – I was beyond grateful to have any new episodes at all. But I did worry whether the writers could do a fully developed, satisfying season in just ten fifty-minute scripts. The writers on Nikita actually did an absolutely amazing six-episode final season which blew me to smithereens, but that was a different show and different writers, so I was still leery about what Lucifer would be able to do with such limitations.
Much to my delight, the short season worked beautifully. In fact, I think in some ways it worked better than a longer season because it forced everything to be so tightly focused. There wasn’t any room for filler. Every moment of every episode had to drive the plot and the character arcs toward their final destinations.
I love how all the characters have their own struggles and challenges in Season Four. Chloe struggles to accept all of Lucifer. Lucifer has to decide who he truly wants to be and whether settling for a great person who loves and accepts him is enough, even if that isn’t the person he really wants to be with. Ella battles with a crisis of faith, while Dan faces off with grief, personal demons, and an actual demon for good measure. Linda and Amenadiel wrestle with all the fears and joys of becoming parents to the universe’s first-ever angel-baby. Maze fights to find her own connection, and Eve has to swallow the hard truth that the person she loves does not love her back in the same way.
It is an amazing, emotional, and ultimately satisfying journey for all – viewers included.
Burning Questions:
1.) Did I supersize my Season Four experience with the bonus eps from Season Three?
Answer: No. I love the bonus eps – truly – but I feel like the ten episodes of Season Four were absolutely perfect, as-is. Trying to fit the bonus ones in, IMO, would’ve messed up the flow, just like in Season Three when the showrunners had to shoehorn in several eps taped in Season Two. So, I let it be. I just figured, why screw up perfection?
2.) Did I binge-watch all ten eps in a highly-caffeinated ten-hour marathon?
Answer: LOL, no! I actually watched them way slower than I originally imagined I would. The whole season took, I think, maybe three months? Maybe a little longer. I really wanted to savor each ep, especially since in the beginning I had no idea we’d be getting more. I only watched a new episode when I was alert and able to fully enjoy the experience. I even took my own mid-season break after Episode 5, which turned out to be perfect timing, since Episode 6 takes place several months later. Starting with Ep 2, I quickly got into the habit of re-watching the previous episode right before viewing the next one, which made each night like snuggling in for a two-hour Lucifer movie! It was awesome!
My personal favorite episodes:
“Everything’s Okay” – Pretty much my dream opener following the Season Three cliffhanger. We get to see Chloe interacting with the REAL Lucifer for the first time. He finally gets to show off all his powers in front of her. I spent the whole episode reveling in the fact that she finally KNOWS. In shows where there is a secret between the main characters, I personally think two seasons is where the cut-off should be on that type of storyline. After that, the other person needs to find out, or else the whole show is just boxed in and unable to move forward. With this episode, we move into exciting new creative territory. And I was thrilled to be along for the ride.
“Someone’s Been Reading Dante’s Inferno” – Chloe finds out about the vulnerability thing at long last! Yay! The scene where she holds the axe to his chest…**shivers** so intense, so emotional, so good! Plus, she turns her back on Kinley at the end of this episode, choosing instead to side with her friend and partner. You go, Detective!
“Expire Erect” – Do I even need to say anything about this episode? An instant classic, and definitely the one I’ve re-watched the most. Fun, danger, excitement, craziness, and h/c, with a Chloe/Lucifer reconciliation at the end. Nuff said.
“Devil Is as Devil Does” – Super intense, especially the artfully staged scene in the bad guy’s office with Chloe and Eve on either side of Lucifer, the angel and devil sitting on his shoulders.
“Save Lucifer” – Lucifer is physically turning into the monster he views himself as. Chloe has to find a way to save him. What’s not to love? The moment when he admits he wants to forgive himself, thereby taking the first step toward self-love? A-mazeballs.
The ones that were hard for me to watch (And by this I just mean from an emotional standpoint. They were EXCELLENT episodes):
“Oh, Ye of Little Faith, Father” – Lucifer finds out about Chloe’s betrayal. She admits she’s not sure she can accept him as-is, Devil-face and all. Amazing scene, but also a heartbreaker for Deckerstar shippers such as little old me. We all wanted Chloe to do what Eve does in the next episode – kiss him right on his red, crusty face. But it’s okay that Chloe doesn’t get there right away. Makes it all the more satisfying when she finally reaches that place of acceptance.
“Orgy Pants to Work” – I feel bad for Lucifer, struggling so hard between the two incompatible sides of his life. Just as he decides to do the right thing and embrace his goodness, the bad guy gets away and murders a cop, pushing Lucifer hard in the opposite direction. Amazing yet painful ep. My only complaint would be when Chloe is walking past Lucifer after Rookie Joan’s death, there is no physical contact, not even a sympathetic look from Chloe, though the Devil is obviously devastated. I think she should’ve touched his hand or something. But that could just be the shipper in me talking.
“Super Bad Boyfriend” – Despite the many moments of humor, this was a definite heartbreaker of an episode. Lucifer dumping Eve was hard to watch. I mean, I wanted him to, it was the right thing for all involved, but still rough. I really like the Eve character – she reminds me a bit of the fake personality Candy put on in Season Two, but in Eve’s case it’s 100% real. She’s giddy and excited and naive and genuinely wants everyone to be happy and fulfilled. She just isn’t right for Lucifer, and that is a big, nasty-tasting pill to swallow. But that wasn’t even close to the most painful part of the episode: watching Amenadiel weep for his newfound young friend, watching the angel lose his faith in humanity. Not to mention the final scene of Lucifer admitting his own deep-seated self-hatred. After this brilliant episode, I needed a Band-Aid. Ouch!
More favorite moments:
-The way Chloe just shows up at the crime scene acting totally normal in the premiere – and the way Lucifer spends like five straight minutes just staring at her like WTF? ROFL!
-Maze’s dating montage. I think I died laughing.
-Amenadiel finding out he’ll be a father after spending a fruitless day searching for his purpose on Earth.
-Trixie and Maze make up. We needed this, and they did too.
-Trixie goes to the penthouse to check on Lucifer. 🙂
-Amenadiel comforts Dan, telling him Charlotte is in heaven. Also when Amenadiel talks about Chloe’s dad in the present tense, reminding her that her father is also in heaven. So beautiful. There were several scenes this season that made me believe DB Woodside might actually be an angel. When he cries after Caleb has died, it just rips right through your heart.
-Dan in Linda’s office, finally letting go of some of the anger and actually allowing himself to grieve.
-The bar fight, AKA Lucifer kicks ass in time to great music.
-Final scene between Chloe and Lucifer. Gorgeous and achingly sad. Glad it’s not the end after all!
-Ella on ecstasy AND cocaine. Basically the whole opening scene of “Expire Erect.” Gotta be the best in medias res opener ever.
-Maze serenading Eve. I’ll second Lucifer on this one: “I’ll be damned!”
-The devil-wing reveal. Did NOT see that coming. Love the way they cut between Chloe hearing the prophecy for the first time and Lucifer building up to showing the wings to Linda. Great stuff.
-Another great end-of-episode twist – the final moments of “Everything’s Okay,” when we learn that Chloe is up to something and, despite the sweet moment she just shared with Lucifer on his piano bench, everything is very much NOT okay.
-Linda and Amenadiel naming Charlie after Charlotte – could not be more perfect.
-Chloe sees those pretty white wings. Finally! Probably what we’ve all been waiting for the most, and it more than lived up to expectations.
Honestly, there are way too many funny, wonderful, and bittersweet moments to mention them all, but hopefully that gives you just a little taste of what I loved about Season Four! All in all, I felt it was an amazing gift to the fans, and I hope you enjoyed it every bit as much as I did!
No matter what the circumstances – happy, heartbreaking, or anywhere in between – it is always difficult to say goodbye to something that’s been a part of your life for years, possibly even decades.
There are a lot of endings happening in my life right now. Just last month, I watched with a pang as James Holzhauer, who’d become a comforting Jeopardy! staple, finally lost to a fellow competitor. Less than a week later, I sat in a crowd of over a thousand people, a huge smile stretching my face as my oldest nephew graduated high school with honors. (A happy ending for sure!)
Sometimes we choose for things to end – like when we quit a horrible, soul-sucking job that was putting us on the fast track to Ulcer-ville. Other times, life makes the choice for us, like when fate snatches away a family member, or a beloved pet leaves us for good.
As I was walking out of Avengers: Endgame, I was thinking about the kind of endings we experience as fans of TV series, books, and movies. More specifically, I was thinking about what obligations the writers of a popular, well-loved franchise have to their fans.
As I left the dark theatre, cool air conditioning, and popcorn-scented air behind me following Endgame, my chest felt hollow – empty. Certainly not the way I wanted to feel after being a loyal Iron Man and Avengers fan for years.
I began to wonder: If I had been writing the story, what would I have done differently? If I’m ever lucky enough to have a series even half as well-loved as Avengers or Harry Potter or Game of Thrones, how do I want my fans to feel at the very end of it all?
In a word: happy.
I want people to close that last book with huge grins on their faces. I want fans to not walk but skip through that parking lot outside the theatre with their hearts full of hope. I want readers and viewers alike to feel satisfied, like the journey we took together led up to something wonderful. Something that tied up all the loose ends. Something that was every bit worth the wait.
With the 15th and final season of Supernatural looming, I’m trying not to think too much about the end and how hard it’s going to be. Avengers: Endgame may have broken my poor, Iron Man-loving heart, but Supernatural has the power to do even worse. The Supernatural writers could crush our souls as easily as Thanos could snap his fingers.
Let’s be honest: losing Supernatural is going to be devastating no matter what happens on our screens in the final moments. There’s no changing that. For me, it will mean saying goodbye to characters who were with me when my mom was in the hospital, seriously ill, and the doctors didn’t even know what was wrong with her.
These are characters I would quote to myself when I was scared or lonely or just plain sad. Characters who’ve made me burst out laughing and ugly cry (sometimes in the same episode!). Sam, Dean, Cass, Jack, Mary, John, Bobby – these people are real to me. They are family.
So, in this time of endings, I implore the Supernatural writers: be gentle. Most fans will be hanging by the thinnest of emotional threads as it is, so please don’t make it worse than it has to be. Don’t pull an Avengers: Endgame. Instead of dropping your fans’ hearts into an industrial-sized meat grinder, reward us for staying with you ’til the very end.
The finale doesn’t have to be some sappy, Log Cabin syrup-fest – that type of ending wouldn’t fit the show, anyway. But it should give some sense of hope…because that does fit the show.
No matter how bleak things got, as long as Sam and Dean still had each other, then there was always a chance. Leave us with that feeling. Leave Sam and Dean alive, and let us imagine that their next adventure is right around the corner, even if we won’t get to see it.
Hey all! Recently I was lucky enough to do an interview with my cousin Elaine Bassier, who happens to be a crazy-talented YA Fantasy author. We talked about everything from resources for self-published authors to unicorn mating habits! For loads of writing tips, helpful websites, answers to burning fan questions, and some very tantalizing hints about the two remaining books in her trilogy, please keep reading!
ATHF: Hi, Elaine! Thanks so much for taking the time to do this interview! Before we get started, please tell everyone a little bit about yourself and your books!
Elaine Bassier: I’m the youngest of five siblings. I was born and raised in Elko, Nevada, and I’m going to go ahead and answer the two most frequent follow-up questions I get when people hear that. 1) No, it’s not near Las Vegas (Elko is in the northeastern part of the state) and 2) Yes, it does snow there. I now live in Spokane, Washington. 1) No, it’s not near Seattle (it’s in the eastern part of the state) and 2) No, it’s not always rainy here.
I’m left-handed (and, fun fact, so is Arianna!). I’m an introvert. I love animals. I have a Golden Retriever named Ruby. I’ve never owned a horse, but I took riding lessons on and off growing up and it’s a dream of mine to one day have a few.
I like to write Young Adult fantasy. My debut novel, Knight’s Duty, is the first book in the Unicorn Knight trilogy. It tells the story of a young woman named Arianna, who longs to be a Unicorn Knight. When she comes across a unicorn who lost her knight and learns she has strange magical powers, Arianna and the unicorn agree to partner together. Under the tutelage of her knight-master Flynn, Arianna’s training as a warrior and magic user begin.
ATHF: I read on Goodreads that you started writing The Unicorn Knight trilogy when you were just 12 years old! That’s so amazing, that the story has been with you since childhood. Are there any details that have remained the same from first concept all the way through to the finished product?
EB: This is a great question! I sadly lost the very first draft of the story when our family computer crashed, so I don’t remember a lot of details about it. I so wish I could look at it again! It’s changed quite a bit since I first started.
The one thing that has remained more or less constant since the beginning, though, is the characters. Arianna has always been the protagonist and she’s always looked the same. She’s always been partnered with a unicorn (though initially it was a male unicorn that became Ronan in later drafts instead of the female Serissa). Most of the other characters have kept their names and personalities, too.
ATHF: Is there anything that totally changed from the way you originally imagined it?
EB: The biggest change I remember from the first draft to the published edition is that Arianna was originally a princess trying to reclaim her throne. Obviously, the plot has changed a ton since that initial idea.
The magic system changed pretty drastically from draft to draft as well. It started with humans having the “traditional” fantasy magic. Then it slowly evolved into the concept of the Magickers, where only magical creatures and a few humans have special powers.
ATHF: I really love how you handled the world-building in Knight’s Duty. You wove the details of setting and culture seamlessly throughout the story, rather than telling it all in a big info dump. Do you have any world-building advice for aspiring fantasy authors?
EB: Thank you so much! That’s so kind of you to say. World-building can be a challenge, especially in fantasy books, because most of the time you are literally creating the entire universe your characters inhabit.
I’m lucky because I love learning about mythology and studying other religions, especially ones with a pantheon of gods. One thing I’d recommend to other writers is to really think about the organization of the world. What form of government does the country have? What is the most popular religion?
My world and the country of Failyn really came together once I developed the idea of the Magickers. Each country has more of one [type of] Magicker than the rest, which then influences a lot of the culture of the area.
Figuring out all of this stuff means you’ll know a lot of details that may or may not end up in your books, but that’s okay. The more you know about your world, the more realistic it becomes in your own mind. That familiarity will come across in your writing, even if you’re not sharing specific details.
ATHF: That is great advice! Do you have any tips for writers in general, regardless of what genre they’re working in?
EB: There’s the obvious one (and one I need to follow myself at the moment!): Write! Whatever you’re writing, just keep going!
I also really like the advice from an author I’ll paraphrase here: Write what YOU want to write. For a very long time, you’re going to be the only one reading your work, so make sure you love it. And don’t think your story is too niche – someone out there, probably several someones, is waiting to discover a book just like yours.
ATHF: In the acknowledgements of Knight’s Duty, you mentioned your friends on Wattpad. For those who don’t know, can you tell us about Wattpad? What exactly is it, and how did it impact your journey to publication?
EB: Wattpad is a website where people can post any kind of writing for other people to view for free. Fanfiction is very popular there, but there is also original fiction and even non-fiction and poetry. The quality of the writing and the grammar can vary wildly, but everyone can find something they like.
With that being said, Wattpad is very popular among teens, which is why I chose to first post Knight’s Duty on it. I wanted to build an audience with people in my target demographic.
One particularly awesome feature on Wattpad is the ability to interact with your readers. People can comment on a single line from the text and you can reply. I loved reading people’s reactions to exciting moments in the book and having discussions with them about where they think the story is going.
I will admit that I think Wattpad works better for people who write fanfiction, or post earlier drafts and even things they don’t ever plan on publishing. However, I’ve made a few good friends there who were the first fans of my work outside of my family and that means a lot to me.
ATHF: I think your book cover is beautiful! The silver and blue tones make me think of the unicorns’ coats. Please tell us a little bit about your cover. Who is the artist and how did you find her/him? Did you already have an image in mind for your cover before approaching the artist? What did it feel like, seeing your finished cover for the first time?
EB: Thank you so much! I love all three of the covers I have for the Unicorn Knight trilogy, but the first is my favorite. My cover artist is R.L. Sather, and I found her on an awesome website called SelfPubBookCovers.com. It has hundreds of covers, each one is unique, and once you buy one, the website won’t sell it to anyone else. It also lets you customize the font and title.
I wasn’t really sure what I wanted the cover to look like when I first started trying to find one. I looked at similar book covers to get an idea of what’s popular in the genre. I highly recommend other authors do the same, by the way: we might say not to judge a book by its cover, but the biggest deciding factor in whether someone will consider reading your book or not is the cover. You want to make sure you’re attracting the right readers.
Looking through the options on SelfPubBookCovers.com, I found what would eventually become the covers for Book 2 and Book 3. However, I couldn’t find a third cover that fit with the other two. I wanted all three to have a similar look so people would know they were part of the same series. So, I contacted the artist who did the other two covers and commissioned a custom piece, which ended up becoming Book 1’s cover. The entire process was a whole lot of fun, and it ended up being the push I needed to actually start the publishing process.
Seeing my cover at every stage – when I first bought it and looked at the finished product, when it was posted online on various websites, and especially seeing the paperback version – was incredible. It made the whole process feel real to me and it was so cool to see something that I had created that looked like an actual book.
ATHF: Sounds like an amazing ending to an incredible journey! Going back to the beginning of that journey, do you have a favorite author, and/or someone who really influenced your writing?
EB: One of my favorite authors is Tamora Pierce. I think anyone who has read her earlier work and my own book will see how she has influenced me. She’s also a Young Adult fantasy author and she’s known for creating strong female characters. If you haven’t read any of her books, I recommend starting with Alanna: The First Adventure.
ATHF: Are there any books, websites, or other resources you’d recommend for authors thinking of self-publishing?
EB: Other than SelfPubBookCovers.com, which I mentioned above, I also encourage aspiring self-publishers to check out Amazon’s Kindle Direct Publishing, or KDP. You’re most likely going to publish on Amazon (and maybe other places) once you do publish, and that website has a bunch of resources, including a community where you can talk with other authors.
ATHF: Now that you’ve survived the process of publishing your first book, what is the most important thing you learned from the experience? Is there anything you’ll do differently the second time around?
EB: I wish I had decided to publish sooner! Seriously, I held off on putting my work out in the world for a long time because I was so afraid of what people might think of it and of me. It was a huge hurdle to get over, but once I did, I was astounded by the support I received from everyone, including people I hadn’t had contact with in years. It’s been a dream come true!
ATHF: I’m so glad to hear that :)! Getting back to Knight’s Duty, I will admit to being a hopeless romantic, so of course I noticed a spark of something brewing between Arianna and Flynn. I’m not asking for a definite answer to “will they or won’t they?”, but is there at least a chance of romance between these two in the next installment? Or maybe Book 3?
EB: I’ll keep this one brief because I don’t want to give anything away, but I think readers will be pleased with what happens between Arianna and Flynn in the future. 😉
ATHF: Any possibility for *unicorn* romance on the horizon? Are they romantic creatures, or are they more practical about that sort of thing?
EB: This is a really interesting question and I’m not sure anyone has ever asked me about it before. I don’t want to go into detail for fear of having written myself into a corner later on, but I will say that unicorns don’t magically appear fully formed. They are mammals and have young in the same way normal mammals would. I don’t have any plans to include a romance between unicorns in the trilogy, but I could definitely see myself writing a short story or something in the future about it to explain everything now that you’ve brought it up!
ATHF: LOL! Speaking of creatures, the alphyns were my favorite ones in Knight’s Duty. Were these an original creation of yours, or did they come from somewhere in mythology? Will they appear in Book 2?
EB: Thanks so much! I loved coming up with the magical creatures and what kind of powers they have. It was one of my favorite parts of writing this story.
The alphyns are not an original creation, although my interpretation of them adds some uniqueness. For example, the alphyns in lore are not associated with concealing or tracking magic like the ones in my book are.
I knew early on that I wanted a wolf-like magical creature because I love wolves/dogs. I stumbled across the alphyn while looking up mythical creatures online (I can’t seem to find the website where I first read about them now), and decided I liked the name. It’s actually a Germanic word that means “wolf.”
I think there are fewer mentions of alphyns in book two than there were in the first book, unfortunately, but you will get more of them in the third one!
ATHF: Awesome! When can we expect Book 2, btw? Is there a release date scheduled?
EB: Yes! I’m planning on publishing Knight’s Honor on May 1, 2019! I’m hoping to do something a little different this time and have both the ebook and the paperback available on the same day. (With Knight’s Duty, I published the ebook first and then the paperback about a month later.)
For those of you who just can’t wait or who might like a preview, the first several (unpolished) chapters are on Wattpad. There will be some changes to the Wattpad version compared to the one that’s actually published, but the overall plot will remain the same.
ATHF:Any tantalizing Book 2 tidbits you can tease us with (don’t give TOO much away!)?
EB:Knight’s Honor has always been my favorite book in the trilogy for several reasons. The action amps up and the characters and their relationships deepen. Plus, you finally get to meet the main villain of the trilogy, and he is both frightening and fascinating. I can’t wait to hear what readers will think of the second book!
ATHF: It sounds amazing. I can’t wait to read it! But since I can’t get the book just yet, and since we’re still doing an interview, is there a question I didn’t ask that you wish I had? If so, what is it and how would you answer?
EB: This might fit in the question about websites you asked above, but I’d like to talk about naming characters, since it’s a fun thing to work on especially with fantasy writing. Many authors say they use baby name books to come up with names for their characters, and I’m no exception. I actually use a website called babynames.com to find names. It even has a handy “tips for writers” section that has my personal favorite advice when it comes to naming fantasy characters.
You probably want something that sounds unique and otherworldly for character names (not many fantasy stories have protagonists named Bob, after all), but I also encourage you to make sure your names are easy to pronounce. If a reader is stumbling over how to say a character’s name every time they come across it, it can create a frustrating experience.
ATHF: ROFL! That’s fantastic advice. (Also, I now have the urge to write an epic fantasy about someone named Bob Smith! ;)) On a slightly more serious note, I just want to say thank you again, Elaine, for taking the time to do this interview, and for sharing your writing gift with the world! We will all be looking forward to reading Knight’s Honor in just a few short days!
So, by now anyone who reads this blog probably knows that my heart currently belongs to the TV show Lucifer. And when my heart belongs to a show, I get inspired. And when I get REALLY inspired…dun, dun, dun…I write fanfic! 🙂
I am super-excited to be in the process of posting my very first Lucifer fanfic (Chapter Five went up on Wednesday). I’d forgotten just how daunting it is to put my words out there in the open for anyone and everyone to judge. I’d also forgotten how wonderful it is to interact with readers as the chapters unfold! It’s like we get to go on a journey together, and so far – thanks to the support and encouragement of some fantastic reviewers – the ride has been a complete joy. I am incredibly grateful to all of the people who’ve taken the time to read and review my work – you guys make it worth the effort of staying up extra late to post a new chapter.
I wrote this story as a “Thank You” to all of the fans who fought to save the show (#luciferonnetflix, baby!), and as a way to hopefully give back to the authors and artists whose works have brought me so much joy over the past year (see the recs below for some examples).
Here’s the summary of my first-ever Lucific, entitled The Innocence Project:
Trapped in a warehouse and cut off from celestial help, Chloe must care for a seriously ill Lucifer while the two of them fight to exonerate a death row inmate before the inmate’s time – and Lucifer’s – runs out. Post Season Three. Established Deckerstar.
If you love Lucifer fanfic, please go check it out:
Summary: “That star just died.” When Lucifer tells her this, Chloe feels like they’re talking about something way more important than a mere astronomical event. Everything is the same except for the way that Lucifer looks at Trixie, just like he looked the night he talked about stars. Things happen, Lucifer visits Linda, nothing changes, but then again, everything’s different now.
Cass says: Utterly gorgeous and 100% gut-wrenching.
Summary: Once upon a time, there was a fallen angel who hated his wings and loved a human detective. After that, things got complicated. Fairy tales never get it right. (For the “Who the hell is Cupid?” Valentine’s Fic Exchange)
Cass says: One of the most wonderfully-written, romantic, and creative Lucifer fics I’ve ever read!
Summary: Recently resurrected, Lucifer stumbles back to Chloe’s hospital room with the antidote formula. Amenadiel stands his ground. Trixie somehow sees matters more clearly than the grown-ups-even the celestial ones. A missing moment from the winter finale, “A Good Day to Die.”
Cass says: Best tag/missing scene for this episode I have read to date!
Summary: Maybe Lucifer had always planned to tell her, but she doubted it was like this. Part of the “They’re Back; Aren’t They” fic exchange. I still manage to beat up Lucifer. Post 3×24.
Cass says: Awesome follow-up to the finale by one of my favorite authors. 🙂
And watch this excellent video, “Unsteady” by knightvision1228:
Summary: An emotional music video featuring some of the most powerful moments in the series with heavy emphasis on the people most important in Lucifer’s life.
Cass says: The Lucifer fanvid I’ve watched more than any other (read: a LOT). Great match-up between the music and the images, and it really tugs on the heartstrings, too!
Thanks for reading, and don’t forget to leave some comments for the creators if you enjoy their work! Can’t wait for Season Four! 🙂
As promised, here’s a review of my cousin’s book, Knight’s Duty! Hopefully, this will be the first of many book reviews here on ATHF:
Knight’s Duty is a fast-paced adventure about a young woman named Arianna whose greatest dream is to become a Unicorn Knight. The Knights are an order of elite soldiers pledged to defend and serve the realm of Failyn. On her way to the capital city to test her mettle as a Knight, Arianna discovers that she seems to have magical powers – something no human is supposed to possess – and meets a lone unicorn who has just survived the death of her Knight – something no unicorn should be able to do.
As the pair teams up to unravel these mysteries, they begin to understand that something much bigger – and darker – is at play. A threat that endangers the lives of everyone in their realm.
This book has lots of action, highly polished writing, cool magic, some twists I definitely didn’t see coming (one small one near the beginning and one HUGE one near the end), and characters I could relate to and respect (it’s not every day you read about teenagers aspiring to serve their country as both humanitarians and warriors). The author also does a nice job of exploring emotional topics such as guilt, forbidden crushes, jealousy, and grief.
I knew this book had me hooked when I started reading in the early afternoon and before I even realized it, the house was pitch black aside from the glow of my Kindle screen. At that point I got up to turn some lights on…then went right back to reading! 😀
Knight’s Duty is a complete story but it also sets the reader up perfectly for the next installment. I am SO looking forward to Book 2. Good thing there’s a little teaser – and a really cool cover reveal – on the author’s Facebook page to help make the wait more bearable. Go check it out here: https://www.facebook.com/AuthorElaineB/ . And don’t forget to check out the book, too! The Kindle version only costs $0.99 and it’s also available in print form (for those who haven’t yet been bitten by the eBook bug).
I’m so proud of my cousin for writing this book, and so very happy she decided to share it with the world. The world is lucky to have it. 🙂
So go forth, enjoy, and support an indie author in the process!
Oh, and don’t forget to review! 🙂
~Gretchen
P.S. The unicorns in this book are intelligent, fiercely loyal, incredible fighters, and have personalities as unique and memorable as any human character. Unicorns rock!
I was feeling pretty proud of my Lucifer-inspired, angel-devil jack-o-lantern…until my dad said he thought it was Batman! LOL!
So, it happened. My favorite TV show got cancelled. Again. We tweeted and wrote letters to save it. Again. We hoped like crazy that someone somewhere would pick it up, but secretly we were afraid we had lost a beloved series for good.
Again.
After the devastating loss of Forever and the confusing cancellation of Limitless just a year later, I was getting resigned to network television stomping on my fangirl heart.
What I wasn’t prepared for, however, was the unexpected euphoria of hearing about Lucifer‘s eleventh-hour un-cancellation, courtesy of Netflix.
The campaign to #SaveLucifer was different from other “Save Our Show” movements I’ve participated in. Stars who weren’t even involved with the show, such as William Shatner and Richard Speight, Jr., commented on Lucifer‘s cancellation. Fans from other shows, such as Supernatural, reached out to get involved in the struggle, even though it wasn’t their fandom.
But the biggest difference, to me, was how passionately and determinedly Tom Ellis himself fought for the show and its fans. He was always there to rally us on Twitter. He even flew to LA to attend meetings with networks and producers. Having a star who dug in every bit as hard as the fans made me feel good. Too often, it seems like stars of cancelled shows give up and move on instead of fighting. I’m sure they have their reasons, but still, if you had something great, something that people really loved, that they’re willing to fight for, why not fight with them?
Who knows, you might just win. 🙂
So, now Netflix will be getting some new customers…yours truly included :). It’s really a multi-level win for me, because I already loved Daredevil and Stranger Things. I’ve been very interested in sampling Jessica Jones, and waiting for The Defenders to come out on DVD (is it ever going to?) has been slowly killing me. Now I’ll get Lucifer Season Four, PLUS a bunch of other things I really, really wanted to see. Cue fangirl joy :).
So, to sum up, Lucifans win. Netflix wins. And Fox…well…loses. Because there were other shows on Fox I watched BECAUSE I watched Lucifer. The Gifted and The Resident come to mind. They’re both good shows, but if they hadn’t been on after Lucifer, I never would’ve known about them, much less watched them.
And without Lucifer as a lead-in, I haven’t seen a single episode of either one this season. The truth is, it’s easy to stay tuned for another good show that’s on right after my favorite one. But why make the effort to watch shows that used Lucifer to gain my viewership, and then got rewarded with renewal while the main attraction got cancelled?
Anyhoo, I’m eagerly awaiting Season Four on Netflix, and couldn’t be happier that of all the shows I’ve written letters and emails and tweets for over the years (Jake 2.0, The Unusuals, Forever, Limitless, Lucifer), ONE of them finally got saved.
I guess happy endings for heartbroken fangirls are possible after all! 🙂
First off, I have just learned, like less than TWO days ago, that my cousin Elaine Bassier has a novel available on Amazon! How freakin’ cool is that? I think it just came out last month. Knight’s Duty is a YA fantasy and it’s the first book of the Unicorn Knight Trilogy. I’m only a few chapters in, and I can already tell you three things:
1.) My cousin is super talented.
2.) Female knight riding a unicorn = AWESOME
3.) I can’t wait to read what happens next!
I’ll be back with a full report after I finish, but you don’t have to wait for me (seriously, I’m a painfully slow reader – ask anyone in my writing group). Go check the book out for yourself right now:
Man, is it cool to see my last name on the cover of a novel! Okay, yeah, it’s not MY novel, but still. It’s cool.
Next bit of news: Transformed is officially available! The book of shapeshifter romance stories came out this past Friday. I already have my contributor copies, and they are all kinds of gorgeous.
If you haven’t already, please go check out the book:
New Interview!
In celebration of Transformed‘s release, I got to do an author interview to help promote the book! Topics include writing advice and habits, favorite authors and stories, and some fun facts about me, my new story, and the book. Please note: while my interview is family friendly, the rest of the site contains adult content, so be wary of exploring if that type of thing offends you. Happy reading, and a big thanks to Erotica For All for letting me invade their website!
I am super excited to be participating in a multi-author book signing at the Raven Café in Port Huron next month. The event will take place Wednesday, August 1st, from 7-9pm. If you’re in the area, I’d love to see you and I’m sure the other authors would too!
Books I Will DEFINITELY Have On Hand:
Transformed Alternate Hilarities 3: Hysterical Realms Chicken Soup for the Soul: The Cat Did What? Chicken Soup for the Soul: The Dog Did What? Chicken Soup for the Soul: The Cat Really Did That? Chicken Soup for the Soul: Thanks to My Mom Chicken Soup for the Soul: My Kind (of) America
Magazines I HOPE to Have On Hand (assuming they arrive in time!):
Trysts of Fate (August 2014) Bloodbond (May 2017)
More info about The Raven (aka possibly the COOLEST venue EVER):
Okay, so, if you read the story description after my interview, you might be thinking that my new story, “Scars,” sounds an awful lot like an older piece called “Burn.” So, what gives?
To quote Dr. Henry Morgan, “It’s a long story!” 🙂
I originally submitted “Burn” to Transformed as a reprint. However, during the editing process, the editor and publisher asked me to change the original (read: tragic and gruesome) ending to a HEA (happily ever after) that would be better suited for their target audience.
I must admit, I was initially a bit traumatized at having to make such a drastic change to my story. As is the case with most of my short pieces, the original ending of “Burn” was the whole reason I wrote the story. It was all leading up to that moment. I wondered if the story could even work without it.
The editor, Charlie Watson, told me she’d already written a version of the ending where things work out better for the characters, but I didn’t look at that version right away. Instead, I spent a few fretful days brainstorming hard about how these two characters, who are in a terrible place at the end of “Burn,” could actually wind up living happily ever after.
After coming up with something halfway decent, I looked at Charlie’s version. It was fantastic. Just chock full of emotional gems, and truly in keeping with the characters I’d written. In addition to being a first-rate editor, she’s also a crazy talented author. My first thought was, “Well, dang, maybe we should just leave it like this!”
But the new version did leave a few plot threads hanging, so I decided to go for broke and write the version I’d come up with, incorporating as many of the elements from Charlie’s ending as I possibly could (because they were awesome). After writing 4,000 words in two days and then revising like a madwoman, I sent the new text to Charlie and spent the whole night biting my nails down to stubs, wondering if she would like it or hate it.
In the morning, I checked my email and got my own Happily Ever After moment: the alternate ending I’d slaved over was approved for the book. Yay!
Although it was a HUGE challenge at the time, I couldn’t be happier with the results. “Burn” was more horror story than romance, and while I still love the original ending, I love the new version even more. “Scars” is a story of pain and loss, but also of love and healing. Several of the people who read “Burn” enjoyed it…right up until they got to the last few sentences. Then they said, “Oh, no! That’s not how I wanted it to end!”
I promise you, “Scars” will fix that feeling. 🙂
Many thanks to my awesome editor, Charlie Watson, and everyone at Pen and Kink Publishing, for giving me the freedom and inspiration I needed to deliver my very first alternate ending – and, in the process, create a whole new, even better story!
Before I Go…
In celebration of alternate endings, I thought I’d share a few of my favorite fanfics that also had two different endings for audiences to enjoy:
(Both happy endings and both awesome! Hard to choose a favorite! If you’re reading it for the first time, one of the chapters – the Lucifer/Chloe love scene – is posted as a separate fic entitled “No Music in Hell: A Slice of Heaven” and it’s not to be missed!)
That’s it for tonight, folks! Now I’m off to read more of Knight’s Duty!
For me, being a fan of a TV show, or a book series, or even a movie franchise, has never been just about the source material. That’s where it starts, of course. But when I’m really obsessed with something, I always want more. Not spoilers, mind you. I’m allergic to those. (Seriously, I just got up and left the room to avoid a scene from an episode of Stranger Things that I haven’t watched yet).
By “more,” I mean that I want to know the characters better. I want to dive deeper into the storylines than the original material allows. I want to imagine what happened right before the episode started, or after the book ended, or analyze what a character was really thinking when he said a particular line.
For many years, this was a solitary pursuit on my part. Me, making up my own little stories about the characters. Filling in history where there wasn’t any yet, coming up with explanations when there seemed to be plot holes.
I was in college when I first discovered fan fiction, and what a revelation it was. Other people wanted more, too! They wanted to write missing scenes and dissect dialogue every bit as much as I did.
Another thing that quenches my thirst for “more” is reading rich, in-depth reviews written by someone who obviously knows and loves the source material just as much as I do. For me, finding reviews like these is actually rarer than finding excellent fan fiction.
I had two favorite reviewers for Supernatural: GaelicSpirit (https://gaelicspirit.livejournal.com/) and Kroki_Refur, both over on LiveJournal. Sadly, I don’t think either of them still writes regular reviews, but even their old ones (or sporadic new ones) are worth reading if you’re a fan of the show. Gaelic is a more of a Dean fan and Refur is definitely a Sam enthusiast, so it’s always fun to read both perspectives and get a fully rounded view of each episode. (Bonus: Both authors also write fanfic for the show, and it’s reeeeally good.)
There was a great reviewer on the official message boards for The Mentalist, but I could never find her again after CBS abandoned the traditional fan boards for a Facebook system. 😦
When it came to Forever, the place to be was AfterBuzz TV on YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCCcVQKtF8zHVQoTJt8NNMJA). They always had a great discussion of the current episode, and sometimes interviewed the cast and showrunners. They even helped create a subplot that later appeared on the show!
And now we come to Lucifer, one of my newest obsessions. I’ve been reading fanfic for this one for a while now (I even recommended some on here), but only recently did I come across some cool episode reviews via a link on Twitter. The author, LaToya Ferguson, really delves into the characters and plotlines, sometimes pointing out small elements I didn’t notice, or bringing up possibilities I never considered. Which is exactly what I’m looking for in a review.
So, if you’re hungry for more Lucifer, and you just can’t handle the three-week wait for the next new episode, why not check out these a-Maze-ing bits of post-ep analysis:
as the HERO flies... 