To Serve Masters.
It’s a cookbook. An anarchist’s cookbook.
The Vanishing Prima Donna
A chilling short story of mystery and romance, wherein the narrator, the Restless Composer, and his confidant and mentor, the Morose Violinist, investigate the sudden disappearance of their opera’s leading actress three days before opening night. What they initially assumed was a case of cold feet abruptly takes a turn for the sinister, as the Witty Soprano is rumoured to have been glimpsed in the company of a certain Foppish Devil of some disrepute. The climax of the story, wherein the Composer resorts to underhanded methods to prevent the Soprano from eloping with the Devil, is a frequent source of discussion and debate by the story’s readers.
When asked, Morcant always refuses to detail his inspiration behind the project, although a certain Sardonic Music-Hall singer in Veilgarden is said to have laughed for a full five minutes when the story was read to her, after which she dabbed her eyes with a handkerchief and locked herself in her dressing-room for the rest of the night. Some have also commented that the Restless Composer is not entirely unlike his author, although still Morcant neither denies nor confirms this accusation.
I’m very excited and pleased to announce the publication of my first novel, Courting Disaster, a rather silly little comedy of manners which follows our heroine, plucky and spunky Rachel Stiles, in her adventures and romances as a new resident at Court. (Suggesting that it is a roman a clef would be very unkind) Rachel is pursued, if that is the word, by two stereotypical male creatures: Bryson Dale, a languid and charming tow-headed fop, and Louis Black, a dark, tormented soul with deep eyes, cruel hands, and a drinking problem, who stands out in the rain with no coat because he thinks he’s building a mystery. Neither of them have two brain cells to rub together, of course, and Rachel might be more impressed with them if they displayed the slightest interest in knowing what she is all about. Their lackadaisical "pursuit" takes place against the backdrop of a small mystery: somebody is making off with rare jade figurines, and our spirited heroine sets out to find the culprit. It turns out to be a second under-footman, not the butler.
Matters come to a head when Bryson and Louis decide to engage in a duel for the charms of the fair Rachel (well, sort of fair. I mean, dogs don’t bark at her when she halts by them, and babies almost never cry). They are a bit crushed when she doesn’t even bother to show up for the big event, preferring to stay in her room and wash out a few stockings. Instead, they get drunk together and resolve to join the forces on the Carnelian Coast. "Louie, this could be the start of a beautiful friendship," Bryson says, as they march arm-and-arm to the recruiting office.
If there is, at the end, a slight foreshadowing that romance may be in the cards for fair (sort of) Rachel, well, Mama wants to sell a sequel, 'cause life ain’t cheap in Fallen London.
For my next trick, I give you the epic poetical cycle The Ralphiad, a subversive look at life as an Urchin in the 'Neath. Those who would like to read it can find the beginning here: http://community.failbettergames.com/topic21127-a-fallen-london-epic-poem.aspx , because I am just crazy enough to try to actually write the thing. While complete in-game, it has a long way to go in the mundane world. And it’s not going to be any 12,000 stanzas, either.
In Courting Danger, we return to the misadventures of Rachel Stiles and the Court of the Empress. This time we introduce explorer and adventurer Harry Cameron, who is undertaking a deadly expedition in the Fallen Quarter with our heroine as secretary and general factotum. Well, life was getting boring in the old palace. Harry is unique in Rachel’s experience in that he doesn’t treat her as an ornamental nothing, but actually expects her to make a contribution to his party. He even listens sometimes when she offers an opinion. He’s not the most fashionable of men, though, because he tends to be more serious about his work than the amateur dilettantes at Court would prefer. And he’s a terrible smartass, too. On a dark, dreary night in the quarter, the group runs afoul of a huge black animal, and… well, you’ll have to read it to find out what happens next.
I want to brag that I wrote the first while still two days short of my one-month anniversary of coming to the Neath. Hey, I’m impressed!
edited by Michile on 1/8/2016
edited by Michile on 1/28/2016
Notes From Underground (with apologies to Fyodor Dostoyevsky) is a tale of three characters, a Revolutionary Firebrand, an anarchist-leaning poet, and a coal miner, all of whom work "underground" in the 'Neath, which is, of course, itself underground. Their three separate tales weave into an explosive and somewhat bloody climax when they combine to bring on the Liberation of Night. But then the reader discovers that the three characters are really one person confined to an asylum, and the story is one of his fevered, catatonic dreams. Or is it?
– Mal
The Hipster’s Encyclopedia (an allegorical satire)
Inspired by a rather obscure cult work from the '80’s, you’ve probably never heard of it…
Always read with unnecessary thick-rimmed glasses firmly on. Smells faintly of spiced pumpkin. Large sections on beards, irony and bangs. Poetical interludes supplied by the Gallery of Infernos, Montreal. Printed by Tacitcauseway and Sons Ltd. Dedicated to a Mme. Z D’Eschamel.
- If Mr. Pages wants anything to burn it’s this :-)
edited by Charlotte_de_Witte on 12/2/2015
The dumb soldier Smith by Мариа Константинополска[li]
A satire of the invasion of Hell, told from the viewpoint of Joseph Smith, a Londoner discharged for idiocy in the past. Now he was arrested and force enroled in the army. The book tells about his humorous attempts to get discharged again. They never work.
The book is popular among russian speaking revolutionaries, due to the authoress being unable to write in latin characters and having been thaught Russian in school