Post by anya on Jun 6, 2019 13:57:47 GMT
Hello, everyone. I'd like to preface this introduction by saying that whenever someone asks me to tell them about myself, it seems I experience some form of sudden burst of amnesia and forget everything that makes me me. Needless to say, I hate attending seminars and new university courses. Though it makes me think I'd make an amazing Faceless Men; they would turn me in a second. Anyways, introductions are not my strong suit, but I'll try my best 
My name is Anya, I'm a twenty-something English student from Southeast Europe and a huge fantasy nerd, thanks to my older brother. He was the one who discovered ASoIaF books... oh my, 15 years ago? Yeah, around that time, the early 00s. I obviosuly didn't read them then, I was far too young to grasp that kind of a narrative, I was still at the Harry Potter level of literature. But he would always tell me about the books and characters, as he was fascinated by it and needed to talk to someone about it. Later, when the first season of Game of Thrones came out, I recognised that it's a story my brother has been telling me about for years.
So, I picked up the books. Arya immediately became my favourite character, due to the fact she reminded me of me when I was that age. A wild, single-minded and temperamental girl who had no interest in being 'ladylike', prefering instead to roll in mud and fight with sticks. Not only were are names similar, but the whole experience of growing up in a patriarchal society with clear gender roles and not conforming to them, was eerily familiar. Minus the noble family and magical pets part, of course.
Daenerys became my second favourite, I'd like to say because of the amazing growth from naive and terrified girl to a brilliant and fierce woman, and sure it is that as well, but if I'm being completely honest, it was mostly her trysts with handmaidens that my closeted teenage self found very, very appealing.
I watched the show, of course, and I loved the first four seasons. Then season 5 happened. The butchering of the Dorne storyline (the part I was most looking forward to in the show), the Sansa/JaynePool and Arya in Bravos left me utterly disappointed and angry. And I'd like to say I stopped following, but my stupid stubborn aries self would not let go and I kept (hate) watching it. So, I had extremely low expectations for the final season and they managed to crush even those. The Mad Queen Dany storyline is one I dreaded would happen, even if done 'right' and 'well' in the books, but the show managed to massacre it worse than that caricature of Daenerys did Kings Landing. And don't even get me started on NissaNissa/Daenerys parallels! If that was George's plan all along, then I'm not sure I even want him to finish the books. I'm over that sexist, lazy trope of men killing women for the greater good. I'm done with it. I could go on and on why I hate what they did (and could George do) with Daenerys, but then this introduction would turn into an angry thesis, instead of just an essay it seems to have become.
Anywas, how and why am I here? Well, funny story that. I would be lying if I said I shipped Danarya. Sure, those two are my favourite characters and I'm gay. 2+2 right? Well, no. The pairing never even crossed my mind. Possibly cause I always saw Arya as a kid, but I think it's mostly cause I never really shipped anything in this series. It was not that kind of media for me. I did ship Daenerys and Doreah in GoT season 1, cause let's not kid ourselves, that was hot. And I did slightly ship Daenerys with Asha (I refuse to call her Yara) after their meeting (and flirting) in Meereen, but that was dropped quicker than Dany's sanity.
What happened was, the harder those hacks D&D tried to make me hate Daenerys, the more I loved her. They managed to make me LOVE her even more than I already did and hate everyone else, the exact opposite of their intention. So, hyperfixation hit, since spite is my greatest motivator, and I roamed AO3 for some Daenerys love. I found this fic called 'Allegiance' with a pairing I never even considered. I read the first chapter and I felt so fckng stupid! Stupid for not seeing it sooner. Long story short, I loved it and loved the writing style of that author. After noticing they have not updated/posted in a while, I was curious as to what happened to them and googled. That's how I found this place. A whole-ass forum for my newly found niche obsession? Sign me up!
So, that's it. Sorry it took an essay to get that small point across, I just had to get that off my chest. And ask about StarkyD7. Does anyone know what happened to them and if they still write? I don't have an AO3 account, I made one and am waiting for an invite just to leave a review for them. I never had one cause most of fanfiction I read was to kill time at work or at home, I saw most of it as 'fun writing not to be taken seriously'. But Starky's writing? Better than most published authors and I wanted to let them know how much I loved their work and how talented they are. Also made me realise just how much talent can be found in fanfiction, and that I just happened to miss it up until that point. I see the error of my snobby ways and am truly repentant.
Last paragraph, I promise! I am truly happy I found this place, am looking forward roaming the forum and chatting with y'all. If you have any questions, either about what was in this essay of mine or not, please be free to ask
My name is Anya, I'm a twenty-something English student from Southeast Europe and a huge fantasy nerd, thanks to my older brother. He was the one who discovered ASoIaF books... oh my, 15 years ago? Yeah, around that time, the early 00s. I obviosuly didn't read them then, I was far too young to grasp that kind of a narrative, I was still at the Harry Potter level of literature. But he would always tell me about the books and characters, as he was fascinated by it and needed to talk to someone about it. Later, when the first season of Game of Thrones came out, I recognised that it's a story my brother has been telling me about for years.
So, I picked up the books. Arya immediately became my favourite character, due to the fact she reminded me of me when I was that age. A wild, single-minded and temperamental girl who had no interest in being 'ladylike', prefering instead to roll in mud and fight with sticks. Not only were are names similar, but the whole experience of growing up in a patriarchal society with clear gender roles and not conforming to them, was eerily familiar. Minus the noble family and magical pets part, of course.
Daenerys became my second favourite, I'd like to say because of the amazing growth from naive and terrified girl to a brilliant and fierce woman, and sure it is that as well, but if I'm being completely honest, it was mostly her trysts with handmaidens that my closeted teenage self found very, very appealing.
I watched the show, of course, and I loved the first four seasons. Then season 5 happened. The butchering of the Dorne storyline (the part I was most looking forward to in the show), the Sansa/JaynePool and Arya in Bravos left me utterly disappointed and angry. And I'd like to say I stopped following, but my stupid stubborn aries self would not let go and I kept (hate) watching it. So, I had extremely low expectations for the final season and they managed to crush even those. The Mad Queen Dany storyline is one I dreaded would happen, even if done 'right' and 'well' in the books, but the show managed to massacre it worse than that caricature of Daenerys did Kings Landing. And don't even get me started on NissaNissa/Daenerys parallels! If that was George's plan all along, then I'm not sure I even want him to finish the books. I'm over that sexist, lazy trope of men killing women for the greater good. I'm done with it. I could go on and on why I hate what they did (and could George do) with Daenerys, but then this introduction would turn into an angry thesis, instead of just an essay it seems to have become.
Anywas, how and why am I here? Well, funny story that. I would be lying if I said I shipped Danarya. Sure, those two are my favourite characters and I'm gay. 2+2 right? Well, no. The pairing never even crossed my mind. Possibly cause I always saw Arya as a kid, but I think it's mostly cause I never really shipped anything in this series. It was not that kind of media for me. I did ship Daenerys and Doreah in GoT season 1, cause let's not kid ourselves, that was hot. And I did slightly ship Daenerys with Asha (I refuse to call her Yara) after their meeting (and flirting) in Meereen, but that was dropped quicker than Dany's sanity.
What happened was, the harder those hacks D&D tried to make me hate Daenerys, the more I loved her. They managed to make me LOVE her even more than I already did and hate everyone else, the exact opposite of their intention. So, hyperfixation hit, since spite is my greatest motivator, and I roamed AO3 for some Daenerys love. I found this fic called 'Allegiance' with a pairing I never even considered. I read the first chapter and I felt so fckng stupid! Stupid for not seeing it sooner. Long story short, I loved it and loved the writing style of that author. After noticing they have not updated/posted in a while, I was curious as to what happened to them and googled. That's how I found this place. A whole-ass forum for my newly found niche obsession? Sign me up!
So, that's it. Sorry it took an essay to get that small point across, I just had to get that off my chest. And ask about StarkyD7. Does anyone know what happened to them and if they still write? I don't have an AO3 account, I made one and am waiting for an invite just to leave a review for them. I never had one cause most of fanfiction I read was to kill time at work or at home, I saw most of it as 'fun writing not to be taken seriously'. But Starky's writing? Better than most published authors and I wanted to let them know how much I loved their work and how talented they are. Also made me realise just how much talent can be found in fanfiction, and that I just happened to miss it up until that point. I see the error of my snobby ways and am truly repentant.
Last paragraph, I promise! I am truly happy I found this place, am looking forward roaming the forum and chatting with y'all. If you have any questions, either about what was in this essay of mine or not, please be free to ask
maybe we'll see something written from you at some point, hmmmm? ;D
