I wanted to share some of my favorite fics that focus on books, centering on the versions of those fics on Squidge World, with the other links to AO3 listed later.
SquidgeWorld Archive, a project of Squidge.org
based on open-source code from the OTW
(originally posted on AO3 here)
On the last part of their tour, Angella showed them her private library, with books and materials of all sizes and shapes. Glimmer had never seen them herself because she didn't care much for such intellectual pursuits, unlike Adora or perhaps Bow. Steven and Connie, thinking back to the Buddy Buddwick Library in Beach City they had visited and where Steven found the wonderful journal of Buddy Buddwick, the first mate on the ship that founded Beach City, loved this most of all. Lapis and Garnet, on the other hand, who were not against libraries, or books, were not in the mood for such intellectualism at this time of day. Angella explained the importance of her library, which she had curated herself.
"These books mean so much to me personally. Some are diaries written by this planet's first settlers. Others are books of spells used by sorcerers, histories of Etheria I commissioned during my reign as Queen, and other assorted materials I like to read for fun."
Turning to Steven and Connie, she handed Connie one thick diary, titled The tale of Rainbow Quartz and Pink Diamond. "I've tried to understand what this book means, but from all the Etherian history I know, I've never heard of these names before. Perhaps you can figure out what it means since you call yourselves gems and the people in this book are a bit like all of you."
SquidgeWorld Archive, a project of Squidge.org
based on open-source code from the OTW
(originally published on AO3 here)
Sighing, Dretch grabbed a pamphlet entitled How I Learned to Stop Fretting and Love the Archives. The pamphlet explained that archives often are filled with irreplaceable and unique items. Libraries generally get new versions of books which are worn-out or have been lost. Libraries were described as generally lending materials, while archives do not do so...
They continued walking through the stacks. The physical materials were meticulously organized into acid-free document cases and boxes, including photographs, newspapers, artwork, journals, film rolls, manuscripts, scrapbooks, maps, and other original documents. Continuing to walk through the stacks, she pontificated.
SquidgeWorld Archive, a project of Squidge.org
based on open-source code from the OTW
(originally posted on AO3 here)
Iku Kasahara, the 22-year-old brown-haired judge, who wore greenish robes, stopped speaking for a second. This case was important to her. She was dedicated to freedom of expression. She would put herself in the line of fire to protect books as a member of the Library Defense Force, and, more specifically, the Library Task Force.
...
These trials had a judge and jury. While the jury can award damages to the claimant(s), transfer property, or rule in favor of an injunction prohibiting specific actions, they could also send the defendant(s) to the Grand Library. Once there, the defendant could either work for the head librarian or be sent to a "book world" where they would live out the rest of their days and be removed from society! This gave the jury a lot of latitude in their rulings.
...
Her gavel hit the table. "The case of the plaintiffs is dismissed. The plaintiffs are ordered to pay damages and issue a public apology as stated by the jury."
Out of nowhere, the brick wall behind her fell away. It crumbled to the ground. The jury, audience, and everyone in the room were befuddled.
Iku ripped off her green judges’ uniform in one motion, revealing a green military-like uniform adorned with a brown belt, and black combat boots. "I must go to…defend the books!" she shouted, running toward, then jumping aboard, an awaiting helicopter. It moved into the air, flying away in the blink of an eye.
SquidgeWorld Archive, a project of Squidge.org
based on open-source code from the OTW
(originally posted on AO3 here)
She had enough sense to realize what he was saying. It was no ordinary killing. On the walk back from Monique's house, she had stopped in a nearby park and read the third chapter of William Blum's Rogue State: A Guide to the World's Only Superpower. Monique had given her the book, a tattered version published in 2000 (there had been updated version since then), with the promise she would give it back once she was done reading it. The chapter included a list of prominent foreign individuals that the U.S. had attempted to kill, or killed, between 1949 and 1999, including Korean opposition leader Kim Koo, Chinese Prime Minister Zhou Enlai, Cuban President Fidel Castro, Cuban leader Che Guevara (successful), and Iranian leader Ayatollah Khomeini. So, she was aware of this word more than she had been in the past. It hadn't been mentioned in any of her history classes, so it was all new for her.
...
He shook his head. How could she use such a word? What he was doing was justified and there was no doubt in his mind about that. Sure, Kirillov had been deliberately killed, and sure he was a public figure. Surely it was for political reasons. If she had the third pocket edition of Black's Law Dictionary, which came out in 2006, she could have turned to page 47 and pointed this out. She could have stated that the book's entry proved it is an assassination.
SquidgeWorld Archive, a project of Squidge.org
based on open-source code from the OTW
(originally published on AO3 here)
...The greyish-pink ship faced the OCAC, and a cannon revealed itself, aiming at their fuselage, shaped like a hexagonal prism. While Bonnie had never encountered a ship like the one that Lars commanded, she determined, based on her trips to the Library, where the ship kept its fuel. For many late nights, she had read old aerodynamics books in the library until the institution’s sole librarian, Turtle Princess, kicked her out for "staying too long."
While Turtle Princess tried to be gracious, letting her freely browse the vast bookshelves at her leisure, she told Bonnie to leave because she lived in the building's upper room and wanted to go to sleep. Even so, she honored the requests of Bonnie, the ruler and princess of the Candy Kingdom, the most powerful kingdom in the Land of Ooo.
SquidgeWorld Archive, a project of Squidge.org
based on open-source code from the OTW
(originally posted on AO3 here)
...Ambling into the room, Apta beamed. "Good morning, my fine friend! What are ya cooking today?"
Gleefully, she explained what she was cooking. "Some pancakes…it's one of those recipes from that cookbook you stole from Earth."
Apta thought back to it. Getting that book had been a challenge, but she had taken it from some school or something. She didn't think anyone would need it. "Right! I made one last mission with my probes before shutting down my operations in Mystacor, trying to focus all my attention on Etheria. Some disturbance in the fibers and curves of spacetime caused many of those probes to be damaged, except one, which contained that book. It came back only a few days ago. I'm planning to use those probes as scrap to improve the CEDC. I'm glad you are making use of the book."
SquidgeWorld Archive, a project of Squidge.org
based on open-source code from the OTW
(originally published on AO3 here)
Cleo, exhausted from running to class, entered the lecture hall and sat down in her seat in the front row. She got in under the wire, sitting down seconds before the late bell rang. An annoyed Akila, who sat next to her, stared her down. Not knowing how to reply, Cleo smiled innocently. Standing on a stool, which helped him reach the lectern, Khensu cleared his throat and began speaking to the assembled class. "Welcome everyone. Let's begin. Please turn to page 58 in your textbook, we will begin reading about…"
When Khensu started talking, Cleo tuned out. She searched through her bag in vain, but the required textbook was not there. Desperate and wanting to leave, she requested Khensu let her go the bathroom. Already foreseeing her plot to skip class, he denied it, to her chagrin. Griping, Akila moved her textbook between them so they could both share it. Cleo grinned back. As she read through the pages with Akila, she came across an unfamiliar phrase. She raised her hand. Irritated he had to stop his lecture, Khensu snapped at her. "What is it, Cleo? What possible question could you have?"
Ignoring Khensu's passive aggressive rejoinder, she continued with her question, while the rest of the class said "oooh, you’re in trouble, Cleo." "Uh, professor, what does the phrase 'annus mirabilis' mean?”
SquidgeWorld Archive, a project of Squidge.org
based on open-source code from the OTW
(originally published on AO3 here)
"Oh, it was beautiful and amazing in more ways than one. We touched each other's tattoos all night long. I felt her exquisite tattoo on her back with my fingers and she sensually rubbed my arms with her hands and amazing hair. Then we continued strumming all night long. I never felt so alive."
Again, no one knew what this meant but Bow. Some time ago, his dads had acquired a small book entitled 31 Adorable Slang Terms: From Green Gowns to Hauling Ashes, which his dads had kept in the family library as a joke. It was only ten pages long and he had read it by accident one day. He wanted to scrub his mind of the words he saw, but he couldn't. They were always there as hard as he tried to stop thinking about them.
SquidgeWorld Archive, a project of Squidge.org
based on open-source code from the OTW
(originally published on AO3 here)
Asako's long black hair shined, framing both sides of her beautiful face. Her voice boomed across the room...
As member of Library Task Force, and the Library Task Force, she often put herself in the line of fire to protect information. For this trial...The case was likely chosen because the tribunal wanted to make a statement. After all, each jury member was a credentialed librarian. Why would they rule in favor of book banning?
This case was held in the Trolberg city courthouse. As a public trial, it could be watched virtually, or in person. Those who filed the case had to prove beyond the preponderance of evidence that there was more than a fifty percent chance that their claims were true. The judge and jury could award damages, transfer property, prohibit actions with an injunction, or send those charged to the Grand Library for "reform." The latter could involve those charged being sentenced to a book world to live out the rest of their lives. Each side in trials such as this had their own lawyers to make their case and convince the jury they were correct.
SquidgeWorld Archive, a project of Squidge.org
based on open-source code from the OTW
(originally published on AO3 here)
...She could smell the perfume in her nostrils, perfume that this woman had obviously put on for her. The only thing that hurt was her heart because she liked this woman a lot and thought that she'd ruin it once again as she had done with so many other women over the years. Being around this crime lord didn't bring her momentary relief. Even so, it did make her excited and thrilled. She always liked being around powerful women. Something always drew her in. She wasn't exactly sure what it was, but she didn't care to learn the real reason. She had a job to do after all. She'd never sacrifice herself for this woman, or any woman. She would certainly go to extremes, even if it meant getting some out-there artifact that very few people heard about, an item she only knew from stealing some book from a secure library on top of a death-defying tower surrounded by boiling water. She loved that kind of thing.
