Axiom's End Q&A

[@TrollGamerStudios]

Remember kids, doing things ironically is just a gateway drug to doing them unironically.

[@blaue_sophie1317]

I don't believe in doing stuff ironically. I own my cringe.

[@brickalmonds]

is that irony, cos if so i really cant tell

[@TulilaSalome]

@@blaue_sophie1317 it is hard to be Eurovision fan without tho.

[@bogdaddy]

the school of new sincerity shall reign supreme

[@moss5356]

pog

[@dithon14]

"A linguist is not a translator." As a linguistics degree holder, I got chills. Someone knows.

[@seastrawberry4]

As a translator.... same.

[@lotteg.1311]

Low key thought she hurt her hand due to throwing hands with allison caine's 'lawyer'

[@6thwilbury2331]

Forget the Logan Paul/Floyd Mayweather blah blah blah... I want to see THAT. (And I predict Lindsay first-round TKO)

[@ieatgremlins]

Your comment is aggressive and, honestly, psychologically damaging. Expect to be contacted by my attorneys soon.

[@SheeplessNW6]

Dismissed with EXTREME prejudice, bish!

[@anonymousname5860]

@@ieatgremlins These comments are distressing to me and MY CHILD!

[@millsrome]

@@anonymousname5860 That damn baby!

[@The11thEvilEx]

This video has everything: - Content about a book - a wonderful KZbinr - a bored dog - Christmas colors - LORE, SO MUCH LORE Here for it

[@theothertonydutch]

You forgot content about transformers.

[@patreekotime4578]

And dragons.

[@The11thEvilEx]

I stand by my initial point though THIS VIDEO HAS EVERYTHING

[@TashJansson]

(but we want wolfcock karen!!!!)

[@danjlp9155]

As a writing tutor, I always advise my students to avoid rereading their work too many times over. I tell them to take breaks before revising again because, as you say Lindsay, the words lose meaning which makes revising less productive.

[@petesmith4498]

"Axiom's End". Soon to be a major motion picture, starring Megan Fox and Chuck Norris.

[@expertionis794]

Directed by Michael bay.

[@expertionis794]

@Jesse Earll not at all. Cg has come a long way and he can look like whatever we want

[@luiginastro8831]

Oh, God.

[@Kaithlar]

@Jesse Earll They made Gary Busy look like a midget in The Mandalorian; just sayin'

[@ofsinope]

Now there's a joke from 2008

[@SophisticatedBanjo]

31:53 Ampersand's starship: *PHENOMENAL COSMIC POWER* _itty bitty living space_

[@Fealuinix]

I was expecting an Aladdin clip after she said that.

[@AdamDrew]

"As an author, I would like to die." Ain't that a slogan for 2020.

[@DumbIdeaPresentedStupidly]

Maybe we don't need death of the author, we need phantom of the author. We only see glimpses of the author and he just leave notes on their thoughts and feelings

[@m1k3y48]

@@DumbIdeaPresentedStupidly As always, the best solution tends to be a middle ground.

[@brynjolf3974]

All the time in the world And no inspiration is every creative person this year

[@milkteamachine]

Now I'm no author, but as an artist, I would also like to die

[@Vitoria-tx4xh]

Roland Barthes aproves this message.

[@geraldgreen6794]

Me when I see Axiom's End content: "Consume!"

[@McBackstabber]

Lindsay: "Don't think of me when reading my books." Also Lindsay: *makes the main character say "The WHOLE plate!"*

[@JacobYaw]

I SOMEHOW DIDN'T EVEN CATCH THIS

[@brynjolf3974]

“All dressed up with nowhere to go” really hit as I’m watching this video in a trench coat that matches my scarf with a pair of nice boots on. No pants or shirt tho

[@DumbIdeaPresentedStupidly]

That feels like a g string kind of look

[@juliadandy6019]

That’s a look for sure

[@brynjolf3974]

@@juliadandy6019 oh yes

[@brickalmonds]

thats the opening line to the Oingo Boingo song "Dead Man's Party" - i think it was a reference

[@0ceanOfStorms]

the name of your account is *chefs kiss*, especially with this comment

[@ILikeTheThingsIDo]

27:25 "Do male authors get this question?" No but Stephen King should. How many of his books feature an author character?

[@subbrian773]

Male authors get COMMENTS about their relationship with their mother: men usually prefer to "drive-by" insult other men.

[@lydiathornton1999]

I kind of feel like Stephen King just wouldn't care though, since he really seems to barely make any effort to disguise the fact that so many of his leads are versions of him. I mean, so many of them share a hell of a lot more autobiographical details with King than just being authors (Jack Torrance from The Shining and Bill Denbrough from It come to mind) and I can't imagine he believes we all just don't notice! And that's fine with me--there are some artists out there who actually can make the "creating stuff about me over and over again" thing work and I think he's one of them. But there are not that many and I certainly don't assume it's what most artists are trying for.

[@thatsnotmyname9647]

"Does everyone else picture Cora as Lindsey" Oh god, it's my worst fear as a writer put into a QandA.

[@theuncannydag]

Due to seeing a bit of fanart on Tumblr, I kinda picture Cora as looking similarly to Charlie from Bumblebee 2018, but with darker skin & my poofy hair

[@innegativeion]

"Do male authors ever get this question?" lmao

[@VampirsTTG]

I dodged doing that by assuming from various names around her that Cora was latina, and brain-casting her that way. Turns out later she's less latinx than those names suggested and self-identities as white, but I guess that lead me to avoid sticking Lindsay there, heh Edit: oh hey, lindsay confirms she's latina later in the video. neat.

[@terrysankey3982]

The reason I asked was there are few authors with such a high visual profile as Lindsay with whom Cora has certain character similarities, the parallels between the novel and some of her video reviews (Transformers, Monster Boyfriends) , the dogs, the 'in jokes' and particularly at the start of the novel she is what I hung my visualisation on (you have to pick someone don't you?).

[@somedragontoslay2579]

@@innegativeion Well, I imagine Tyrion Lannister as a tiny George R.R. Martin. So, we can say males should be asked this question too.

[@OlPalJoe]

cool to see you outclass Doug in literally everyway lol

[@ByeByeDeadName]

I’m enthusiastically waiting for the day when she surpasses him in subs

[@OlPalJoe]

@@ByeByeDeadName it's coming pretty fast. suprising that a bunch of people didn't jump ship after "The Wall" disaster lol

[@ByeByeDeadName]

@@OlPalJoe I’m still traumatized by that dreadful excuse of a review. Fingers crossed it ends up on Todd’s Trainwreckords series one day

[@OlPalJoe]

@@ByeByeDeadName i couldn't watch all of it, his shtick is just too cringe man lol

[@petros6013]

I love that she hearted this comment

[@thrawn4emp]

I never pictured Cora as Lindsay, but I def had a hard time separating KZbin Lindsay's voice from the novel in general

[@UwU-wizard]

Same. Something Lindsay-esque about that witty, brisk prose.

[@kellyk.4596]

I honestly am shocked that anyone thought this was a self-insert given everything we see/know about Lindsay.

[@wjzav1971]

Yeah, I mean anyone who ever participated in a Role Playing Game knows that the biggest fun is to make your characters as different from yourself as can be.

[@theelectricwalrus]

I definitely had a different experience: I really just heard it as "A fiction book which happened to be written by youtuber Lindsay Ellis"

[@helenanilsson5666]

I wish I had heard Lindsay's voice. I listened to the audiobook and especially in the beginning the narrator read the text as if 4 out of 5 sentences ended in a question mark. She sounded so incredibly unsure of everything that if the dialogue hadn't been so confident I would have thought the poor women hadn't seen the script before she started recording. Especially since the things she sounded most unsure of was fairly normal stuff.

[@rafaelaguirre1528]

There's something so comforting about hearing you talk, Lindsay. I wish I could have attended your book tour in person and I hope there will be one for the sequel.

[@kirbyizlife]

The main thing I learned from this Q&A is that I was pronouncing half the character’s names wrong when I read it

[@Navywalrus09]

Gotta love audio books. Even if your pronouncing the namea wrong, it's not your fault.

[@19031589]

@@Navywalrus09 The Witcher audiobooks don’t pronounce the bard Dandelion’s name the same way in all the books. Drives. Me. Crazy. In the beginning it’s Dan-dilly-un and then it changes to Dandy-lion 🤯 I’ve never heard of an audiobook doing that! Broke my brain.

[@CharletteAndMo]

Same I kept thinking Nils was just a different way of spelling Niles

[@clayflix9569]

I kept going back and forth between thinking it sounded like “Niles” and “Kneels” until the book actually said that Ampersand’s speech software mispronounced Nil’s name as “Kneels”.

[@NebulousCreature]

Halfway through reading I looked up the pronunciation of Č so I could pronounce Čefo right. Should have considered I was pronouncing other names wrong too.

[@danielsimmich1858]

I do hope some official alien art happens because until that day I will continue to imagine the aliens as the Pokémon Genesect (not due to poor writing but because I can’t take book description and turn it into imagination)

[@LindsayEllisVids]

lol it’s not that far off

[@thatjillgirl]

I was imagining a weird Scyther the whole time, but only because I didn't know about Genesect.

[@Fealuinix]

I always imagined Ampersand as a large Mirrodin Myr but with Apple-brand aesthetics.

[@jakfosarn9257]

I through of Ori in the blind forrest.

[@orangeslash1667]

@@LindsayEllisVids Ariels apology to triton was going to be slower, but because Katzenberg wanted a climax, the apology was sadly rushed.

[@celtytompkins5294]

Totally unrelated, but you look so beautiful in this video.

[@ZipplyZane]

It makes me happy, as she used to have videos about how haters or lewd comments made her feel like she couldn't wear what she wants. I also just think it looks really pretty and colorful and Christmassy. The lipstick matches, even.

[@celtytompkins5294]

@@ZipplyZane Lindsay has been my favourite youtuber for years now, and I've always found her stunning. Although I can't imagine how the way she looks would be grounds to leave negative comments... I just thought her look in this video was so cute and festive 🎄

[@Democratic_Republic_of_Iacon]

@@ZipplyZane are you kidding she looks great in every video

[@StefanoBorini]

She's beautiful, smart, knowledgeable, insightful. I could listen to her explaining movies for hours, days, years. I learned more about moviemaking and storytelling from her than any other youtuber. She's an absolute treasure.

[@ClaireDuhLune]

True

[@redwitch95]

I always roll my eyes at self insert questions, because one of my favourite series as a kid was "The Saga of Darren Shan" which was written by the author... Darren Shan. It's literally a vampire AU of his own life where he's the secret son of an eldritch monster/god who wants to use his half-human kids to destroy the world, and I've never seen anyone look twice at *that*. Not to mention that male authors almost never get asked about self inserts, despite the only literary self inserts I know about are from male authors. Like the sexism isn't subtle, really.

[@Djinsin]

"Even though it's realistic, it doesn't NEED to be there." Thank you for summing up every fantasy work of fiction that has racism for racism's sake.

[@emiliobustamante2401]

Well theres also the argument against whitewashing (no pun intended) specific periods/places of history... I think Princess and the Frog got called out for this

[@sleepyandroid6904]

@@emiliobustamante2401 I think it depends on wether or not the setting is fictional.

[@Leeqzombie]

@@sleepyandroid6904 I personally think it has to do with what purpose it serves the story, which I think OP means by 'racism for racism's sake' - bigotry that really has no useful reason to be there. Does the character's bigotry reveal anything about them? Does it have any consequences, will it come back to bite them, will it lead to conflict with another character, will the character change their ways? Is there a way to depict this bigotry without being graphic, explicit, or using slurs? Does the depiction fit the tone of the story, do you want your readers to suddenly think about oppression or be reminded of times they've been descriminated against in a light hearted fun little romp? For example, Axiom's End has a very obvious setting, we don't need to witness casual homophobia without consequences to know that, and the scene nor the story as a whole is about the homophobic culture of the 00s. It's not a story about a gay kid being bullied in school and learning to overcome, or anything like that. Meanwhile, Princess and the Frog is pretty explicitly about race and class in the '20s, the depictions of oppression do serve the plot.

[@caelmack]

@Peter Lustig congratulations on your bravery in this conversation. I'll try to remember to be an excellent writer before I can care about racism. But I am genuinely wondering why you're here, if you care so little?

[@michaelhenry3234]

But what if I like realism? If you're gonna make an immersive world, I'm gonna expect social issues. That's just how humans work. Not every world needs to be realistic though.

[@TactownGirl]

it always makes my crafters soul all warm and fuzzy when I see you wearing that necklace I made and gave you at the language talk in Eugen last year

[@KaceyRepublic]

It's a cute necklace.

[@TactownGirl]

Oh uhhh my shop is www.terrariumtreasures.com if ya'll want your own pride stuff (even though I'm out of pride stuff at the moment)

[@phadenswandemil4345]

Wow that's so cool

[@LemonLimeStrat]

Okay so it IS a bi pride flag then? I love it ❤

[@TactownGirl]

@@LemonLimeStrat Thanks!

[@McBlazington]

"I will never kill a dog, [pause] in a book. That is a lindsay Ellis promise" JASON PARGIN/DAVID WONG ARE YOU PAYING ATTENTION?!

[@J_Kwan]

And Patrick Ness! He lost me the second he killed that dog :’0

[@yurinabesima]

So this makes Hirohiko Araki her rival?

[@oyecomova5478]

@@yurinabesima always was

[@BradyPostma]

I took that as "I would never kill a dog ... IN A BOOK. Outside of books, ALL PROMISES ARE VOID."

[@UTU49]

I would totally kill a dog in a book -- but only if the dog was small enough to fit in the book. Seriously though. I would totally kill a dog in a book -- but only if I had a good reason to do so -- and even then it might be a good idea to try going another way.

[@Tom_Nicholas]

Scrivener is incredible, I write everything which needs to be longer than a few paragraphs in it. It was also developed in Cornwall where I grew up which makes me 1000% more evangelical about it!

[@gabinooodle5308]

what is this a crossover episode

[@ZijnShayatanica]

@@gabinooodle5308 IT GETS FUNNIER EVERY TIME.

[@pmcgee003]

So ... 11x then? :)

[@MLangenbroome]

"Is it a bad dragon?"... *starts to sweat*

[@oleanderwyvern]

I was about to like, saw how many comments it had, and went "nice" instead

[@beeaggro2593]

oh God

[@chaircheck2424]

My copy of Axiom's End arrived on my birthday, despite me not planning it that way. Had a great time reading it, my favorite of 2020. That said, I've had my brain ruined by the internet really hard this year so my reading has really fallen off. Axiom's End was kind of rare in that it managed to hold my concentration.

[@RealLukeWilson]

12:07 It’s interesting that you bring up the “YA curious” problem with Cora’s age. One of my undergrad professors had a lot of difficulty selling his book, too, because the main character was a 15-year-old, but it was decidedly *not* a YA novel. It took him about seven years before it finally got picked up, I think, and that was two agents and a dozen publisher bids later.

[@x-s6002]

"So much of my adult life has been shaped by my frustration with Michael Bay" 😆😆 Pain makes us stronger Lindsay!

[@tstevens1004]

I love how the first example of “a thriller ending in a hospital” is Bright. Yes.

[@LindsayEllisVids]

I still think about Bright a lot

[@tstevens1004]

Don’t we all :)

[@maximeteppe7627]

@@LindsayEllisVids Since none did when the movie was made, I guess NOW someone has to.

[@obiwankenobi9141]

Lindsay, I don’t want you to think about Bright after I saw you go insane when you were talking about bright.

[@SaintBroken]

OMG I just finished the book and this is exactly what I wanted! I love it sooo much! *scream of joy in Pequod - phonemic*

[@DemonKingMidas]

14:58 “Truth does not do as much good in the world as the appearance of truth does evil.” - Danil Dankovsky

[@doom_delrey9736]

Omg what a deep quote! I bet the guy who said it is super chill and nice and definitely not a prickly prick who’ll bury us all!

[@doom_delrey9736]

In regards to the ending, I have a habit of reading the last lines of books before anything else, so I read that final line from Ampersand and was incredibly intrigued but didn’t really think much of it, but when I finished the book, the line just really hit me in that way one of the tweets described. I just didn’t know what to think of it in a fantastically ambiguous way. It’s a wonderful book.

[@Firefly-mb6pl]

I’m glad I’m not the only one who does this

[@oleanderwyvern]

"She prefers Morrowind" well, Cora has good taste it seems.

[@KaletheQuick]

10/10, much Nerevar. Ya know, maybe.

[@gabrielhersey5546]

My favorite is elder scrolls IV oblivion

[@godzillafan4033]

I got to go with skyrim

[@KaletheQuick]

Stew and Gab reported for corpus. Pls report to the corpusarium.

[@arnvonsalzburg5033]

You N'wahs don't even drink Skooma!

[@Hannahgs]

I literally just finished the book, it’s like you knew...I definitely needed this today! Edit to add: I NEED THE SEQUEL RIGHT NOW. Also I did not picture Cora as Lindsay, I mostly had trouble not picturing her as Korra from LOK cause I had just watched that and whenever I read Cora I would think of that lol

[@jackgude3969]

I kinda wish that Cora and her Dad wouldn't meet. I loved how he was so important in his own mind and so unimportant in reality (of the book)

[@PatrickBoyda]

I was kinda hoping each book's time period would correspond to the release year of a Transformers movie 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014, 2017

[@emilyfrahm4118]

Just wanted to say that this book and hank Green's are definitely getting me back into sci-fi in a way that I haven't in years.

[@goldogwolly]

me too, will be checking out the book recommendations in the video!

[@Bluebaritone]

TWO videos in one month?! She’s treating us this Christmas!

[@JessHessMusic]

"As an author, I would like to die" 🙏💀 I love this channel

[@person9872]

Even Return of the King ends in a hospital.

[@ashleyo4849]

I just bought the book an hour ago! I knelt down to pick up Good Omens and found myself at eye-level with the store's last copy of Axiom's End, like it was fate or something. Then I come home and see this video uploaded a few minutes prior and now I'm convinced it was fate. SO excited to finish it!

[@IsaacMayerCreativeWorks]

I just sat down and read the entire book today like I was back in middle school. Can I just say 1) I love it, it’s amazing and I can’t wait for the sequel 2) it didn’t read as a self-insert at all, and I have no idea where these people got that from

[@movieblocks9164]

10:52 Um I'm sorry lindsay but when you have references like "She ate the whole plate. The WHOLE plate." I just cannot keep the videos out of my mind.

[@lodgin]

Oh yeah, when I got to that part, I made a sound halfway between a laugh and a groan.

[@ieatgremlins]

You look so gorgeous here, truly.

[@Alexcoman51]

She always looks beautiful tbh

[@SayaCeline]

This book made me have feels and thoughts and totally got me back into listen to audiobooks again. The narrator for the version on audible was great btw. The two little aliens, Woodward and Bernstein made me so happy and I would legit read a mini series of them just wandering around and being curious. Also idk why but I kept picturing the aliens as like metallic chocobos.

[@pokinDave]

I am glad the narrator worked for you because I had the opposite experience. I found it distracting in that I felt she added so much to everything rather than let the text do the work. If everything is in italics then nothing is

[@wjzav1971]

One question I was surprised wasn't here was how this is more or less influenced by Phantom of the Opera. A "monster" with a traumatizing past which sees humans just as toys meets a young woman with daddy issues. But not through her looks but through her kindness he changes his ways and learns that humans are not mere toys and starts to treat her with respect.

I just bought your book. It's the first one I read in english so wish me luck!

[@movieblocks9164]

Just finished all the musicalsplaining episodes and now theres this.

[@wesreleases6346]

Hope we get more Musicalsplaining later on, it’s a fun show. Unfortunately this year was just the worst time for a podcast focused on live theater

[@MidLa23]

Was in the middle of my 8th rewatch of the GoT 2-parter when this notification came in. The content gods bless this day

[@NotAMuse]

STOP WORLD. LINDSAY’S HOLDING AN AXIOM’S END Q&A!!!!

[@melskunk]

Yes yes yes yes yes finally the deep lore about which transformers you want to smooch... wait wrong Q&A

[@charlesmaddison212]

Probably Starscream

[@colcutie5694]

I worked at a movie theater when Bumblebee came out and I'll never forget that these two women came in not knowing what to see, realized bumblebee had come out, and LOST THEIR MINDS. like they yelled BUMBLEBEE IS OUT and started recording themselves buying tickets. Hope to find that kind of joy.

[@ShutItKyle]

"President Cheney" [Kill Bill Sirens]

[@aryelynet228]

When are we getting the Genome plushie

[@gingerroot961]

I can’t believe Lindsay invented books

[@heyryanisonx3141]

Iconic

[@lu-vu3xk]

How come no one has asked if the names Demi and Cora are meant to be a play on Demeter and Kore, this question has been on my mind ever since the very first paragraph, LINDSAY ANSWER ME!!!!

[@lu-vu3xk]

Is Ampersand meant to be Hades?

[@MacLachlan]

"Even Though It's Accurate, Doesn't Mean It Has to Be There" Needs be a wider held philosophy

[@colleenorourke1433]

Same. It's storytelling, not historical reporting. The things you choose to put in the story tell more about you than the history you're trying to emulate.

[@MsJeanneMarie]

Yeah, I thought that was a good philosophy too. It IS a bit of a fine line to walk but I’m glad she chose the route she did.

[@kilelorencen2085]

I will say that King has definitely been ribbed a few times for his self inserts. How many of his protagonists were authors? I am fairly sure he doesn’t intentionally do it. It’s just part of the natural creative process.

[@thrownswordpommel7393]

Authors, yes. And white. And middle-aged. And American. And from Maine. And former alchoholics. And... Ok, enough.

[@RainWelsh]

Stephen King: I don’t write self-insert characters, I just write what I know. Also Stephen King: I’m literally a character in this book, and if I die the world ends hahahahaha [chugs codeine]

[@sallylee4924]

It's very interesting to learn about the change to Cora's age, because she reads much younger than 21 in the book for me. She definitely struck me as somehow who was still in school, and I would've pinned her age closer to 16 or 17 based on how she acts and reacts in the book.

[@heidy1791]

Maybe that's reflective of her dropping out and her mom being so upset with her. She is a bit naive

[@sallylee4924]

@@heidy1791 For sure! Another interesting thing: Cora strikes me as a very mature teenager, like someone who had to grow up faster than their peers because of lack of emotional support at home. This is strongly suggested to be the case, as she is seen to assume the parental role with her younger siblings in multiple scenes. However, a mature teenager is still very different from being a 21 year old adult.

[@heidy1791]

@@sallylee4924 I don't know. I'm in college right now surrounded by other 21 year olds. Cora didn't actually read that out of place to me, just emotionally immature in some places and overly developed in other places

[@sallylee4924]

@@heidy1791 That's fair. The inconsistency in the description really confused me, and my conclusion was a mature teenager from it... but it's really just inconsistent characterization.

[@odistabettor]

The book felt really unique and made a strong impression. Thanks for working so hard to share it with the world, and thanks for making this video.

[@wolfgirl535]

Just finished your book finally. Very pleased, especially to see my underrepresented kink, consensual hand holding, being front and center in this relationship. I will however be expecting some telekinetic mind smut in the sequels to come. You must give the people what they want.

[@inarisu_7138]

God the editing in your videos have gotten fucking hilarious big kudos to your editor. I love them

[@Kaithlar]

"The publishing trends" can be understood with an analogy: By the early 2000's there was a trend in music of "The Metallica Effect" -- where there was no way to break into music unless you sounded 'like Metallica' because everyone LOVED Metallica... but you weren't allowed to sound TOO MUCH like Metallica, ya' know?

[@PopeGoliath]

I was not aware of the alien romance angle when I started listening to the audiobook. I was, however, familiar with and loved your Shape of Water video essay. I was both unsurprised and totally on board when the interpersonal tension in Axiom's end started ratcheting up.

[@chasingdaze]

BEST CHRISTMAS GIFT OF ALL TIME MORE LINDSAY CONTENT

[@suzysquidink]

Returning to this video again after reading Apostles of Mercy (Book 3) because I just can't stop thinking about this world and story. Anyone who has any hestitation about reading the sequels, READ THEM, THEY'RE BEAUTIFUL.

[@elliquinn8198]

I did not see Cora as a self-insert character and I'm very curious how did you avoid writing a power fantasy with a self-insert character. Was it even an issue for you?

[@LindsayEllisVids]

I cant say I’ve ever written a power fantasy- Cora is very much not that, nor is & for that matter

[@danielbrush1294]

When you realize this may be the first Christmas season where you didn't hear "War on Christmas" stuff because there's so much serious shit already happening.

[@BradyPostma]

There was a little bit of that war on Christmas stuff, but yeah, it was way reduced. Lots of other paranoid conspiracies to spread out the outrage.

[@Aladar0utmod3]

Love all the Starscream figures in the background glad to know you're ok hope you still have fun despite the global grinch

[@GopherAtl]

"I will never kill a dog.... in a book." Was that qualifier *really* necessary? D: xD

[@dangermonkeygostones]

I was surprised that Ampersand and Cora never have a conversation about Sybiosis, what with how much concern Cora had for her abandoned canids.

[@Jinballify]

36 years? Wait, Lindsay is an '84 too? Cool! A High-five for all kids of a fine, fine vintage!

[@corydharma]

This makes me want to reread Axiom's End so much. I guess I know what I'm falling asleep to tonight.

[@seaofglass77]

You will not fall asleep. You will read until it's finished. And you will feel that amazing happy of having read something amazing, and that deep depression of a great thing having ended.

[@corydharma]

@@seaofglass77 Such is the way with all great art. It is a mirror is life. Fleeting, beautiful because it is so, and you can only experience it for the first time once.

[@IQzminus2]

As someone who was 14 in 2007 and gay. People using gay casually in a derogatory way, for anything bad, silly or weird was extremely common. I think I heard it maybe 5 times a day. I remember most KZbin comments from back then consisting 70% of “fake and gay” or just “gay” no matter what it was, rest some combination of lol, rolfcopter or those illustrations people made by typing out signs and letters. Rarely with any direct homophobic intent, it was just the most common word used for bad in my school. But yeah it was pretty messed hearing it that much while being in the closet. I don’t really want that experience reproduced in modern literature, even if it takes place in that time period. Or well it should be done with a lot of thought. Having someone challenge the word being used that way, wouldn’t really be period accurate either. I want how gay was used as an insult back then to be talked about and remembered, because it was a big part of being a teen in early 2000s. It should just done in a format and in a way that allows for it to be handled in a complex way. So it would need to take up quite a bit room in the narrative. What I’m saying is I agree with the decision to leave it out in this book.

[@tanyap4907]

For the question where they said they envisioned you as Cora, I honestly never even thought about that. To be completely honest, I forgot that you were even the author once I got immersed in the story itself pfft,,

[@Madison-xc8qv]

I had the same experience!

[@muaowa]

Throughout the book I imagined Cora to look like a hot mess express, at least after the first kidnapping

[@AsadtheTutor]

I always take the hot mess local.

[@erinjkrizakk]

@@AsadtheTutor very specific but I always envision Cora as a slightly chubbier Florence Pugh

[@clayflix9569]

Hey, I pictured Florence Pugh, too!

[@cjwisler4021]

Haven't even finished your video yet, but... anyway. I adored your book. I thought it was one of the best First Contact books I've ever read, with a dynamic protagonist and a healthy dose of 00's nostalgia. Cheers to you, Lindsay, and happy holidays!

[@paulzecharia]

Damn it, Lindsay, I actually have work to do. But I simply can’t not click when I see a new video of yours.

[@73mleduc]

I always feel ashamed when I make a purchase due to some sort of advertisement but grabbed Axiom's End while still listening to the Q&A in the background. To fight my shame I'll tell myself it was a donation for all your content I have consumed for free and it had absolutely nothing to do with the emotional appeal about Christmas putting me in the correct mindset.

[@kimedwards6425]

Hearing people ask for Cora x Ampersand smut when I never viewed their relationship as sexual is when I start to wonder if I might be on the asexual spectrum. 😂

[@alexbennet4195]

No, you’re just normal lol

[@theluckyaceco]

I'm super excited for any Lindsay video, but especially as its about my favourite novel of this year. And then to get bonus puppy?! Heaven!

[@Brendanstop]

my hold just came in from my library! gonna read it this month :)

[@carasynthiadune9842]

Ooh i just finished AE and I really loved it!! I didn't think I'd like a book where a human and alien emotionless cyborg develop a relationship but it works because of the fusion... It's going to be so interesting to see how it develops with this creature being so emotionless but also linked physically (and maybe emotionally too?) in some way with the human. I cannot WAIT!! Is one of the main themes of the book that an emotionless alien that is fusion bonded will have a better relationship than a lot of us humans find ourselves in.

[@blinkfilms1]

axiom's end was the first book i read in a long time that really got me engrossed. the first section was slow (i definitely picked up on the over editing) but as soon as they got to the base i literally couldn't put it down. i was halfway through on christmas eve and was gonna stop at midnight but then Obelus happened and i didn't stop reading until i finished at 4am on christmas morning. you've got a really neat writing style and it's refreshing to read classic sci-fi with a female protagonist (written by a female author). i could also relate scarily well to cora's daddy issues, but that's for a video essay of my own. the romance aspect was SO well done and i mean that entirely subjectively. i h a t e romances based on sex. i generally just don't like romance genre shit because of how the romance is executed. i personally don't experience romantic attraction (esp without a lot of build up) so that's always squicked me out. if i get into a romance at all i gravitate toward slowburns because they allow the characters to develop as individuals before committing to a relationship. all that to say axiom's end as a book was my ideal relationship novel. i won't say romance because romance as a concept is generally defined by sexual attraction, which was barely a theme of the book. you could read cora and ampersand's relationship as a queer platonic one for many reasons. it's just so REFRESHING. i truly felt seen through cora's character in how she interacted with everyone in the book, but especially ampersand. the growing intimacy without the pressure of sex felt so validating and UGH. especially with the emphasis on consent. thank you for writing a relationship centered story where the protagonist didn't lose herself in her relationship with the love interest. even if/when they do have More Intimate Interactions™️ it feels earned and genuine. i believe they care for each other and that's more important to me than any other romance trope you could fulfill. seriously, thank you for that. i wasn't expecting this alien love story to validate my aro-spec self but im so glad it did.

[@AkashWShah]

"As an author, I would like to die" is a line that makes sense both with and without context.

[@sanni7340]

I get really single-minded when I'm reading something I like, so I wasn't thinking about the author being a yt personality. Except for the whole plate bit. It was powerful enough to awaken me from my book hypnosis state.

[@SmilingJack100]

I am just getting to this now, but I love how Linsay has Cora have what is an incredibly deep cut but very good take on the Elder Scrolls Series!

[@samwise210]

"The Vlogbrothers exist" I would kill to see Brotherhood 2.0 going on during Axiom's End's timeline.

[@ScottAtwood]

I bought and read purely on the strength of loving your KZbin channel. I went in with little foreknowledge or expectations, and I was not disappointed. I loved it and look forward to as many sequels as you publish!

[@joju997]

This Q&A made me finally get my copy of Axiom's End, so I guess it worked.

[@rs-flamingo]

Great Q&A! Definitely got me interested in reading the book

[@AnarchyJess]

"I will never kill a dog in a book" *Lana sweats nervously*

[@gabrielhersey5546]

Merry Christmas Lindsay!!

[@TheDrouge19]

Well your publisher won, I just got around to picking up a copy. Hope your holidays still go well without family I know it can be rough

[@drewalexander6024]

Lindsay Ellis I am so sorry you can't see your family. My heart goes out to you and I wish you a happy holidays.

[@lunarvisions7]

24:29 that’s so wholesome 😭

[@megeles]

I read it because Lindsay, had no idea what it was about and loved every minute of it. She did a great job of capturing how everyone just completely discounts you when you're 20ish.

[@Averysmallbun]

Never been this early or clicked this fast in my life

[@ari1638]

I love you Lindsay!

[@soaribb32]

Hal, it's about books.

[@obiwankenobi9141]

Thanks I read it.

[@NinjabillReviews]

I keep coming back for the Transformers collection, and the Transformers tidbits she throws in, but always stay for the excellent content. Happy Holidays and Happy New Year!