Approx length: three books, plus three free short stories (the stories are on de Bodard’s website)
What is it, in summary?: Aztec-historical noir murder mystery, with cosmic horror. All whodunnits with the same protagonist, my main man Acatl, High Priest of the Dead, who solves fantastical murders with the help of his semi-protégé Teomitl, some monsters, and some sick goth magic powers. This is a gods-are-real-and-they’re-assholes setting.
What do you love about it?: I love how these books convince you to think like the characters without imposing modern morality on them—at one point I got mad on behalf of a planned victim of a sacrifice when it looked like he wasn’t going to get the noble death with guaranteed heaven that he’d been promised. I also absolutely love the funky monsters + awesome magic and the way that de Bodard manages to blend noir vibes with the historical setting.
I also think these books are ABSOLUTELY DRIPPING in homoerotic subtext. Acatl has a complex relationship with his protégé, Teomitl, a young warrior, who, in noir style, generally ends up filling the femme fatale role by accident. Acatl’s relationships with Teomitl and with his (Acatl’s) siblings Mihmatini and Neutemoc are the core of the story. I’m going to be honest, I just deeply want Acatl and Teomitl to snog.
What sort of things are you likely to request for it?: See above. I’m also very interested in the world building of the setting + magic systems, and I’m fascinated by Mihmatini as a character and will probably put in a request for some gen-fic re: her individual story and her relationships with her family and Teomitl.
Are there sections of canon (rather than the whole canon) that can be consumed by themselves to fulfil your requests, or that showcase particular characters and relationships?: I think you can get the general vibes of the setting and the solid core of the characters from book one (Servant of the Underworld) which could definitely stand alone as a mystery.
Content warnings (ie, rape, incest, racism, gore/violence): Oh, man. This is a series where the heroes regularly engage in blood sacrifice of people and animals. There is a lot of violence, blood, and death. Book one has some child death and I would recommend looking up triggers before you start.
Obsidian and Blood - Aliette de Bodard
Media: Books
Approx length: three books, plus three free short stories (the stories are on de Bodard’s website)
What is it, in summary?: Aztec-historical noir murder mystery, with cosmic horror. All whodunnits with the same protagonist, my main man Acatl, High Priest of the Dead, who solves fantastical murders with the help of his semi-protégé Teomitl, some monsters, and some sick goth magic powers. This is a gods-are-real-and-they’re-assholes setting.
What do you love about it?: I love how these books convince you to think like the characters without imposing modern morality on them—at one point I got mad on behalf of a planned victim of a sacrifice when it looked like he wasn’t going to get the noble death with guaranteed heaven that he’d been promised. I also absolutely love the funky monsters + awesome magic and the way that de Bodard manages to blend noir vibes with the historical setting.
I also think these books are ABSOLUTELY DRIPPING in homoerotic subtext. Acatl has a complex relationship with his protégé, Teomitl, a young warrior, who, in noir style, generally ends up filling the femme fatale role by accident. Acatl’s relationships with Teomitl and with his (Acatl’s) siblings Mihmatini and Neutemoc are the core of the story. I’m going to be honest, I just deeply want Acatl and Teomitl to snog.
What sort of things are you likely to request for it?: See above. I’m also very interested in the world building of the setting + magic systems, and I’m fascinated by Mihmatini as a character and will probably put in a request for some gen-fic re: her individual story and her relationships with her family and Teomitl.
Are there sections of canon (rather than the whole canon) that can be consumed by themselves to fulfil your requests, or that showcase particular characters and relationships?: I think you can get the general vibes of the setting and the solid core of the characters from book one (Servant of the Underworld) which could definitely stand alone as a mystery.
Content warnings (ie, rape, incest, racism, gore/violence): Oh, man. This is a series where the heroes regularly engage in blood sacrifice of people and animals. There is a lot of violence, blood, and death. Book one has some child death and I would recommend looking up triggers before you start.