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PaperclipPerfector  1mo ago (text post)   2730 thread views

Friday Fun Thread for December 27, 2024

Be advised: this thread is not for serious in-depth discussion of weighty topics (we have a link for that), this thread is not for anything Culture War related. This thread is for Fun. You got jokes? Share 'em. You got silly questions? Ask 'em.

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Did I ever tell you guys about the cool short story I read while on holiday that I really can't imagine talking about with anyone outside the motte - Blackbirded?

I'll say up front that I've worked and chatted with the author Joab before, but I'd be telling you about it even if I hadn't, mostly because I'm super gay for the fanfic aspects of it, but also because it's a fun read.

Its set in 19th century Queensland and it deals with Australia's own equivalent to the slave trade (and yes it's weird Australians want an equivalent to the slave trade but I don't think I can say anything else worthwhile about that), following a group of bounty hunters tracking a runaway, but ending up being hunted themselves. It's also fanfic for a popular sci-fi movie series starring the likes of Arnold Schwarzenegger, Carl Weathers, JCVD and Danny Glover, and you can tell Joab is maybe even more into it than I am.

He also seems to have a conflicted view of the racial dynamics of the time, which is why I can't imagine talking about the story with any of my normie friends. The characters behave the way they would have back then and he seems to deliberately subvert the standard modern take of whitey bad blackie good, but there is also a lot of throat clearing - far too much imo, but based on past experiences I have learned that my far too much is usually not nearly enough for most people, so I'd be interested to know what you think. It's not a long read either, I busted it out over a couple of smokes.

but there is also a lot of throat clearing - far too much

Is that particularly surprising in a fic that provides an "acknowledgement of country" before the work begins?

That's the throat clearing that most confused me. I don't really understand why someone who would write the story he wrote would include one of those in the first place. The acknowledgement would put off people who would appreciate the attention to historical accuracy and the people who would appreciate the acknowledgement would be put off by the accuracy. Maybe he wrote it for some class and his teacher insisted on it?

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