Reading Powerless Part 4 ~ Let The Games Begin!

Welcome back for another "thrilling" installment of Powerless where we discover just how many books this one can steal from! It's like a blob, absorbing other books into its mass!
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[@ribbonquest]

If I ever run a death games or wanna-be death games, I'm absolutely sending all communications as very bad poems. It's not just physical torture or psychological torture. It's CULTURAL torture.

[@SallySueSaywhatagain]

@@ribbonquest genius!!

[@bibliorama]

Lol, the fact that in Red Queen, the prince gives the main character secret dance lessons at night, and then at the ball, a bomb literally goes off. Like Powerless feels like a play-by-play in a lot of ways to Red Queen.

[@Zeiji369]

The last part about his shirt being in his pocket made me laugh. I used to exclusively wear cargos because I loved them so much and I always felt like Mary Poppins while wearing them. So maybe he is wearing cargo pants with large pockets.

[@_decaysea]

The protagonist being told to wear a certain color is like telling a toxic mother-in-law not to wear white to the wedding, only instead of receiving some kind of social consequence everyone tells her how special and pretty she is just like she expected.

[@JulianGreystoke]

@@_decaysea accurate!

[@mistybrown5688]

I love watching these, they get me in the mood to write. And they’re good what NOT to do’s… if that makes sense😅

[@nhmcazenav6874]

It's oddly inspiring seeing books like this somehow got published and someone like Julien doing a breakdown of why it doesn't work and helps know what to avoid and how to improve

[@nithilas7481]

still not over the fact that them living right by a desert means nothing. so much potential? so many interesting things with garments, cultures, foods, creatures . . . breaks my heart 😭

[@kandibug5303]

I really do think that Pay-den being a rebel spy manipulating Kai and Kit would be more interesting and tense if she knew the rebel's plan of bombing and she needs to get Kai and Kit to certain places to ensure the rebel's plan goes as planned and it would fulfill the whole the "Hunted and Hunter" enemies-to-lovers situation this book is going for.

[@kandibug5303]

Just a minor nitpick, but why would the royal family allow Pay-den to have a dagger (I mean unless I missed something and she's hiding it from them) because that sounds like a huge security oversight to allow Pay-den to have a weapon or did the royal guards did not check Pay-den for daggers, but also Pay-den did put a dagger at Genocider Bean Boy Kai's throat during a sparring session and he did nothing to remove the dagger nor did any of the royal guards and oh no my brain hurts now...

[@goodmanticore]

“They look alike, therefore he will do the same things as his dad” is literally one of the conflicts in Warrior Cats, but done so much better. 😂

[@Moony1568]

Payden is Fireheart confirmed.

[@xRaiofSunshine]

@@Moony1568you mean Brambleclaw? 😂 Edit: oh wait 😂😂😂

[@xoPotatoTreexo]

Isn't this also the central conflict in Lion King 2??

[@g.e.causey]

Yep. Been a long time since I read those books, but I'm pretty sure Firestar was at least aware that he was being paranoid and ridiculous lol

[@goodmanticore]

@@xoPotatoTreexo No, Kovu is not directly related to Scar in the original Lion King 2. Simba is wary because he was Scar’s chosen heir, not because he looked like him.

[@ribbonquest]

I kinda liked the safe rooms in the Selection. There were a TON of hidey holes all over the palace. They were stocked with rations so you could survive a prolonged attack and the amount of time it took the guards to unlock all the rooms afterwards. Because there were a TON. The Selection is bad but there are a few good nuggets in there.

[@kandibug5303]

This feels like a slice-of-life regency romance with all this dancing about the ball, colors of clothing, and social games where our maid or poor woman protagonist somehow gets involved in the life of some rich duke or baron, but with far less interesting dialogue and characterizations to get us through the mundane activities.

[@kandibug5303]

My original scenario of how the dance party should've went: (The scene begins with Bean Boy Kai taking Pay-den to a garden full of bean plants.) Kai:.. and here Pay-den is my string bean plants. So what do you think about my bean garden? Pay-den: Ohhh that string bean is like the length of full grown human. (Now Lilac Haired Blair arrives with Kit.) Kit: Well what do you think of my brother's special interest Pay-den? Pay-den: I think it's nice he has a hobby that doesn't involve killing... that would be terrifying if I liked someone whose only thing was killing... Blair: You're right. That would be so silly. Now let us hang out like girls do. Pay-den: Yeah like arson! Blair: Finally a woman who gets me. Kai: Oh yeah. Blair you need come to help me drag out my prize bean. Blair: Can't you do that by yourself? Kai: No. Blair: Fine. (Kai and Blair leave the bean garden.) Kit: So how do you feel about all of this Pay-den? I mean this all must be so overwhelming to learn all the rules of dancing Pay-den: (Her opens open wide like an owl.)... Kit: (Waves his hand in front of Pay-den) Uhhh hello. Pay-den:... Kit: Well if I guess if she makes Kai happy... (Kai, now shirtless, and Blair return with a giant green been the size of a male elephant seal if you know what those are.) Blair: Did you have to take off your shirt again? Kai: I can't summon all my magic powers to carry this bean if my shirt is on. Blair: I think you just don't like wearing shirts and you just want to show the world your nipples for some unholy reason. Kai: Hey Pay-den. Look at this green bean. Pay-den: What! I just had nothing to think about, other than Kit seems shady and has rancid vibes. Kit: Oh. Well thank you for your honesty. (Kit runs to Blair who hugs him and pats him on the back.) Kit: (Crying in Blair's shoulder) Why does everyone say that to me? Blair: I think you're the nicest person I've ever been with. You just need to work on not coming off like a used carriage salesman like your ugh... father. Kit: You only say that because you're my dom. Kai: What? Blair: Oh, let's leave these two lovebirds alone. Come along Kit. Pay-den: We're doing arson tomorrow Blair?! Blair: (Holding Kit's hand as she leaves) Of course what woman would miss such lady like activities! See you then! Pay-den: I'm glad to have such a nice relationship with Blair. Kit: Blair and Kit? Pay-den: Hmmm, I'm glad you took off your shirt again Kai.

[@crazyth1ngs600]

This is unhinged, but also so much more wholesome than the original, thank you!

[@Mistcat32]

As someone who is not that into descriptions (usually because if they are too long I get bored tbh) I still think that describing the setting is important. Both to help readers visualize, but also to show some characterization, world building, etc. Also, from the writers perspective, I think it can help develop your understanding of characters and world even if those ideas don’t always make it to the final draft (like knowing what a characters bedroom looks like could help define the character’s personality and circumstances even if the room is not shown on page).

[@kandibug5303]

I do like doing weird mash-ups like Eldritch Cyberpunk Urban Fantasy or Non-Western European Industrial Fantasy where I put my high fantasy stories into the age of automation, but these books are just not trying to make sense of these mash-ups because it's just a collection of fanfics in a trench coat asking people for money.

[@UnraveledAnarchy]

Everyone wake up! New Julian video just dropped!

[@SharkaOfSea]

I'm watching this as I'm, learning crocheting. I'm so bad at it. :'( I hope I'll remember it more than whatever this story is about. Anyway, you gave me an idea for a twist in a death-game side plot, which I will think about a bit more and maybe add it. uh, hello, train. Random side note, I had a D&D character (alchemist) named Pine Leaf. Yes, the other players looked at her like: "the what?" This book would be better as space sci-fi. The "powers" would be neural implants or augments or other advanced tech and the "trials" would be televised to the entire galaxy... oh, wait, that's Dungeon Crawler Carl, nevermind. I can carry a book in a pocket of two of my skirts... Shirt would fit there too.

[@sagathestoryteller7920]

Hey so as I began watching this and heard this "Last time on..." and specifically the beans part, I was reminded of my absolute favorite website. Food timeline. It is a timeline about when certain items started being eaten and includes old recipies and breakdowns of the history of some food items that adds context of where it was eaten. I use it when I write and when I am DMing.

[@JulianGreystoke]

Ooooooo! That sounds really useful!

[@iFlutterbye]

In my small Oregon town it’s pine trees. There’s also ALOT of sand because there had been an active volcano back in the day. “I’m beginning to think that Lauren has never seen a tree!” Sent me. 😂

[@kandibug5303]

Wait they can just chose other people during the Death Dance Tournament? SO WHAT was the POINT of CHOOSING a DATE before HAND?! AHHHEEFGHHHH!!!

[@jasmine_mariah]

okay out all of the broody book boyfriends, whos everyone choosing? xaden's definitely my pick since he's not even really mean at all

[@WorstMagicianOnIce]

I'm going with the classics and picking Edward Cullen. He can turn me into a vampire and I'd be like "lol see you never, loserface!", absolutely no downsides

[@kandibug5303]

Why is there a dance? Is this Death Tournament High School where there's a prom or end of year school dance where you get elected as Death Tournament Dance Queen or King?

[@JulianGreystoke]

Wait until I tell you... there's multiple dances...

[@kandibug5303]

@@JulianGreystoke This book should have been a Death Dance Tournament instead of a battle Death Game.

[@Akigirl2004]

DDR: Death Dance Ritual!

[@_decaysea]

@@kandibug5303 Okay, but I would absolutely read that. Weapon dances. Fire dances. Tangoing with knives at each other's throats.

[@crazyth1ngs600]

This author just seems like she doesn't keep track of her own characters or their surroundings at all. Like the terrible overarching plans are one thing, but at this point I imagine her coming up with random stuff and barely stringing it together. She was probably writing with a pine scented candle next to her, so Kai gets that scent and we also get a pine forest and then she's just like "Oh yes, a forest! He probably observes things through the leaves and has to wade through the underbrush, because forests have those! Right, forests! Let's have him climb a tree. Forests have those as well, right? Yes yes." And then she took a break (potentially to look up more bean recipes) and was too lazy to go back and check when he started climbing it, so it accidentally took him half a day to climb a single tree before she decided he also needed survival skills, but actually doing anything but bottling perfectly sparkly clean water was a hassle. I wonder if he actually will ever drink the water (or sexily wet his hair with it or whatever, the shirt's already gone after all) or if we'll just forget that he's theoretically carrying several full canteens and a sword, a throwing star, an herb apothecary and idk a rabbit pelt in his magical Mary Poppins-esque pocket at this point.

[@jadziawynter9241]

I feel like the lack of description, especially for clothes, is because these YA fantasy novels like Powerless takes place in a qusai European medieval fantasy world. Yet, the author never seems to do enough resaech to properly describe the settings and characters in a way that would match the world they are trying to write!

[@JulianGreystoke]

@jadziawynter9241 this author likes tank tops and button down shirts haha

[@jadziawynter9241]

@@JulianGreystoke Yeah, like girl just do Urban Fantasy! It would probably be way easier for you!

[@jasminv8653]

Renaissance Fair Setting, but this one gets it mixed up with the dystopias and paranormals of the 2010s.

[@RiaJaize]

I'm still stuck on the fact that they have record players and music records.

[@DebErelene]

I wonder what the records are made of? If plastic, that would suggest an oil industry & other factories. The rest of the story isn't giving me that vibe ...

[@RiaJaize]

@@DebErelene Right?! If you're writing a fantasy novel and you think, "I'm going to put [cool thing] in MY world. Why hasn't anybody else thought of that?", it probably means that other people have through through just what it would take for a world to have that thing.

[@visttia]

I love these readalongs. Not only it's entertaining to listen to these ridiculous, clichéd stories, but also I always learn something and think of something for my own novel. Thank you for doing this ❤

[@marichka-mulligan]

I'm one of those people who don't picture anything when reading descriptions. However, I've read "A Wizard of Earthsea" recently, the book that doesn't let any word go to waste, and I realised what is the core of my problem. Description shouldn't be there just to visually describe things. As you said, it should be integrated with character- and worldbuilding. "Brown eyes" is absolutely useless on its own (not to mention, barely gives any visual information), but are those common in the region? Are they usually considered beautiful? Are they not? Even if I can never picture the face or the space the author described, I still remember the details that are shown to be important (or at least interesting).

[@jo_helaci]

Haha, if the blue-haired guy had the hair in his armpits or on his legs meticulously styled it would have been worth mentioning where the hair in question was, but unless the readers are animals or aliens they will all assume the hair is on top of his head. Maybe the writer is an alien trying to seem human😁

[@kandibug5303]

More nitpicks, but why is the book (and Pay-den/creator in turn) judging Lilac Haired Blair for wanting to get with Genocider Bean Boy Kai for her own pleasure and clout when Pay-den specifically wanted to get with Blond Boy Kit to make a public statement to better her social position. I'm annoyed that the book treats these girls (like Blair) and people who don't break the rules or want the attention of Kai and Kit the "wrong" way as a personal failing rather than silly or harmful rules society teaches, encourages, or forces these girls and other people to do. Heck even Pay-den is playing this game by getting with Kit to better her social political position must I say again.

[@DarwinRoger893]

Great question, the author probably hasn't even thought about it

[@ssjbears]

This book just makes me want to add SO MUCH description of scenery into my story. (I tend to be an overwriter, though, so I'm trying to resist the urge to add in unnecessary things.) Also, warm drink + cold drink is the only way to go! I can't have a hot cocoa without a glass of ice water, it just doesn't feel right.

[@spacecat_scribbles]

this book just makes me wish I was rereading the hunger games...

[@bluebirdeyes]

Maybe they meant his shirt was in his pocket, like he tucked in one of the corners like a bandana and had it hanging by his side or something?

[@76kilosofshade81]

Don't give the author more credit than she deserves 😆

[@SallySueSaywhatagain]

Off topic, but I'm so excited for Adventurer Mage 2!

[@JulianGreystoke]

Huzzah!

[@lilrosetattoo]

I know these types of books use a lot of tropes but at what point do the tropes turn into cliches???

[@jasminv8653]

Long ago at this point

[@PaintingMeJosh]

I fully agree! I need to have things described. I want to know exactly how the author themself envisions their book. Sometimes I end up picturing things differently from how they're described (involuntarily), but I still want to have the blueprint right there on the page of what I'm supposed to be seeing. So to compensate in my own writing, I'm a massive over-writer when it comes to descriptions. I used to describe just about everything, with measurements and left/right coordinates and everything. I eventually typed up a list of rules for myself to make sure my descriptions are actually doing something valuable and not detracting from the story.

[@meganpowers6388]

When it's mentioned the categories of those with powers who were banished, "mind-readers" is among them. Isn't this the same thing as a psychic? Especially with the way Paedyn's "power" is presented a la Sherlock Holmes, and that it's mentioned nobody's heard of psychics. Wouldn't people assume that's just like a mind-reader?

[@JulianGreystoke]

Great point! This book has so many plot holes I can't even spot them all!

[@twilightoverhiser8666]

Why did the author not give the brothers notably different sounding names? Maybe it's because I'm not reading the book myself but I keep getting them confused...

[@iriel3000]

5:37😂❤❤ I will never get tired of that clip!

[@g.e.causey]

I tend to struggle with descriptions, like the chapter I just finished a couple days ago has 2 scenes where the characters are basically conversing in a void, but that's not a final draft. Why do so many authors these days seem to be allergic to revisions?

[@JulianGreystoke]

publishing is rewarding just enough authors and their early drafts that more people are doing it. That, and these books are just being skim-edited and plopped on shelves. Apparently the next book has a bunch of typos in it!

[@katendress6142]

It would be a fun change if Wildhunter McPracticalpants got told she had to dress up for a ball and her response was "okay, so blue and green are the in colors this season and ... why are you all looking so shocked, I always research the appropriate camouflage! He picked up a pine-scented candle at The Flickers.

[@cinthiagoch]

I wanted to put some native trees from my country SO BAD in my fantasy book that I spent weeks studying biomes, and I built the geography and culture of my entire world base on the biomes I wanted the characters to cross at certain points. For example, in the country they start, tangerines aren't native plants there. So it's important to note that the people who are able to import them or even grow them somehow are very wealthy. And one of the main characters appreciates the rare experience that is eating a tangerine, while the other one, who grew where tangerines were common, doesn't see what the fuss is all about. The lack of effort from this author is so depressing.

[@hedgehogdilemma588]

Your pace needs to be at a certain height before I am annoyed by the scenery description and you shouldn't be at that pace all the time. Agree with you totally about seeing a scene informing the character. Just easily: your thief character notices the extra exits, the hidden nooks, the pocket sized valuables. The noble notices the heraldry, the fashion of the tapestry, the untended fireplace implying things about the staff or state of the house. It's one of the reasons I actually like different POV, because it's an opportunity to hit upon two different people moving in the same environment.

[@nhmcazenav6874]

Though I've only am 16 minutes into this, I just need to talk about Kai. The more we see him the more I am bothered, the more of a red flag he is. There's literally nothing he has done to make Payden crush on him other than he's "hot". Also the auther at this point has done nothing to show redeeming qualities in him. Also strange behaviors added don't make him attractive. He's controlling and invasive. I understand that this book along with the popular trends is aimed for wish fulfillment. Also, respect... Very important. Kai stroke a cord in me and I'm remembering a guy I met who tried to be controlling, not to that extent but it wasn't fun. Kai is a terrible love interest And Payden is an idiot

[@Stephanie568]

I started watching this when it was uploaded but couldn't finish until today (September 21 2024) so I'm sorry about that but your video is spectacular as always! From what I read (no idea if it's true) the author admitted that she really didn't know what to do for this book and no clue for Reckless. Again, no idea if it's true but I would believe it but I'm trying to give her benefit of the doubt.

[@JulianGreystoke]

I mean, as a panster I also have no idea what a book is going to be when I write it hahaha. I think she just needs a lot more practice! People need to stop publishing these young authors' first books.

[@Stephanie568]

@@JulianGreystoke That's very true!

[@nithilas7481]

(at the 40 minute mark) if you're going to badly imitate the hunger games to death, you could've also just introduced the 'rebels' later?

[@mercycunningham2813]

My impression is Kai lives in the attic. His father doesn't like him, that's why he got the enforcer job. "Stop bothering me, son. Go and kill some peasants." My thoughts an the silver dress when everyone wears green. Well showing up in a red dress at a black and white ball wasn't good enought. (Have seen that a lot.) Buuuhht girl fire your stylefriend. If you want to make a statement use your colorweel. If they all wear green you need a violet or lilac or something. Again why has Kai a date he doesn't want for the ball? He could have said no. Why has the King an enforcer? Is he the Mafia? Kings have campions or sheriffs or captains of the royal guards or a royal assassin or something. And it's not his spare who gets that job. The spares job is to be the replacement of the heir should something very unfortunate happen. You want the spare weak enough, so he won't be able to take the Thorne by force but strong enough not to be a very week king if again something unfortunate happens. Not knowing how a royal court works seems to be a trope now. If I ever host "deadly games" they will be realy deadly. I think of bag over the head invitations by night. And a surprise labyrinth with traps they have to survive before the game even starts. Maybe handcuff them in random pairs to each other. I mean, I could be a little creative. There could be a dance challenge and the loosers end up in a sneak pit. (Or is that to Cobra Kai?)

[@xChikyx]

tbh, I barely notice any difference with the camera audio 🤔

[@JulianGreystoke]

well that's good I guess hahah!

[@xChikyx]

@@JulianGreystoke yeah, i suppose hahaha

[@darkrandom9947]

She should have called the rebels the resistys. It is much cooler

[@kathaliabloodyrose5694]

Read along but also background noise asmr

[@JulianGreystoke]

glad to provide!

[@CrisM779]

The pretty dresses totally remind me of Lightlark but yeah, this has a completely forgettable plot... All I remember from it is that it was supposed to be a death game but what actually happened was out of left field. Just zero interesting plot and like many of these books.

[@xoPotatoTreexo]

I might be an outlier who shouldn't be counted, but I have a degree of aphantasia and I benefit *a lot* from descriptions of scenery and settings. I didn't actually realise how much I relied on them until I started reading books with zero description and I couldn't follow the story at all because the movie that plays in my head as I process the words was just a whole lot of nothing. Like, don't get me wrong, Tolkien's trees are super overwhelming, but at least I know that there is some sort of foliage in Middle Earth 🥲