[Report This]Date: March 04 2024 2:18 AM Title: Chapter 6: The Smallest Microphile in the World
Hello again, LittleBigPlanet!
It's been a while since I submitted a review last year in the summer but I have in fact, been readimg the story and is up to date!
This chapter in specific is absolutely amazing. I was so shocked by the fact that Gaia was revealed to be a teenage human girl! What a twist... It was definitely an interesting and captivating concept with ants having their very own microphiles.
On a side note, I am eager to find out what exactly happened to Penelope's father. A flashback to his story would definitely be entertaining or hell, maybe even a spin-off one day!
As always, keep up the good work and we absolutely can't wait to read the next chapter!
p.s. The title is Antopia: The Greatest Story Never Told, that led me to speculating: Something catastrophic is going to happen.. huh! I like to think that it could mean that Max won't live to tell the story or the entire Antopia will be.. wiped out. Or it could just be Max keeping a secret and Antopia never gets discovered, haha!
Author's Response:
Hi there 😄
I am slowly chipping away at getting the next chapter up which primarily dives into vore and graphic digestion (it's actually quite massive). I guess starting full-time engineering work really eats away a lot of your time....
Yeah at first I was considering making Gaia an ant but then I changed mind and thought it would be more interesting of she was a human girl!! We will get into her backstory and her relationship with the ants very soon.....
Penelope's father I haven't thought about a backstory for him yet but it will definitely involve humans. I guess you will have to wait and see......
I won't spoil too much but I will say that I am definitely not killing off my main character😄. I wonder what will happen to Antopia..........
[Report This]Date: November 20 2023 10:18 PM Title: Chapter 6: The Smallest Microphile in the World
I wanted to explore the idea of ‘hero’ a little further, but just coldn't manage to include everything on my last comment. However, less than 24 hours after, I stumble upon a piece of news that says the world is experiencing an epidemic of loneliness.
That's it! That's what it means for Max to become a hero: to be there for Lucy even if she chooses wrong and not leave her feeling lonely! Maturing in Max’s case is to abandon this pride and fear he has, to become someone able to still see a monster as his sister - as someone worth enduring, persisting and taking the fall for.
Since what is done can’t be undone, and even if unaware it’s true the damage would be far less if Lucy didn’t derived any pleasure from her power over Antopia, that's what means to be the hero of this story: to be the big brother of the "little monster", to not abandon her despite all that she has done or could do to him in the future. Family in a true meaningful sense.
Man, it took me some time to realize what I really wanted to say about Max and his future as the protagonist. And I might be spouting bullshit, but I am rooting for him since ch. 1.
That's the real good stuff: keeps you thinking long after you finish reading. Only time will tell if I am right.
Once again, thank you for all the thought and effort you are putting into
the story!
Author's Response:
Thanks for the additional review 😊
But yeah this story focuses primarily on sibling relationships (brother-sister). Even though they argue a lot deep down they love each other. This will be key later on as Max knows Lucy's mannerisms and personality better than anyone, unlike the ants who only know her sadistic side.
You are definitely right when you say what is done cannot be undone but at least Max can prevent future destruction. And there will be a lot of forgiveness later on in the story which is why he will not abandon her since he wants to save her soul.
Max is the centre of his story and we will be following his journey throughout it.
Yep, the next chapter is going to be very fun 😉
[Report This]Date: November 20 2023 8:06 AM Title: Chapter 6: The Smallest Microphile in the World
Another psychologically deep and unsettling (in a good way) chapter. How you manage to keep pumping them with so much depth and consistency? The Ant Bully premise is a young adult sci-fi masterpiece in your hands.
Christine character wasn’t just a convenient way to deconstruct the idea of lawful good inside Antopia (other chapters already sent that message), but a good way to work the link between desire and fantasy in a understandable way. What makes Christine into a despicable villain is not what she has in common with Lucy – the desire to be big because big = powerfull – but the clear difference between the two: Christine is someone who would shrink and kill her brothers and sisters, her own kind, she would act on her power fantasies in a destructive manner – ultimately this means to become a predator and the destruction of oneself, like we saw happen with Jack Feeler in chapter 5.
When Christine pictures Max being killed by her own sister, Lucy is always unaware. That’s the point of her character. Not only because the chapter wants us to understand Lucy would never want Max dead, but also to highlight this difference – Chrinstine as unable to see beyond her pleasure, she is not just a microphille but a psycopath also - and because of that, in her twisted mind Lucy must always kill her brother in the most cruel way FOR BOTH brother ans sister: without Lucy knowing it at first.
Now, about the elephant in the room (in my opinion): is “Ms. Perfect” a microphile? Maybe. I think it’s likely she equally resents the fact of being born an ant – something that Max’s presence will help bring to the surface for her to finally work on it – The ants think of Divya as their “guardian angel”, and that might be reasuring for the masses, but it’s on Max’s shoulders to save Lucy and Penelope from themselves. Divya is the one hailed by the majority, but Max is the hero for these two microphile.
Who knows? In the past, did Penelope ever spotted Max from afar? Did she ever ventured inside the house with no one knowing? Maybe looking for sugar? Did she ever fantasized about having the big brother of the “little monster” all for herself? To be in his shoes? A lot remains to be revealed from behind Penelope’s maneirisms and quirks.
And when I say hero, I mean it. I don’t think Lucy and Penelope will reach balance without Max paying a hefty price – when we hurt the ones that love us the most in a irreparable way is the momment we realize we went too far. I am not saying this just to be dramatic, I love a good drama, but it’s the way things often work - how people more often mature, abandoning selfish fantasies of invulnerability to develop a deeper sense of love.
It’sthe oldest of stories and desires: being human is being guilty and forgiven. Forgiven, not by some larger than life goddess, but by our big brother after we’ve done something that horrifies US above all.
Yes, mother, father, friends, we seek validation from them as well, but these are often more distant figures, more difficult to rely on some times than an older brother or sister. My opinion.
God,
your story makes me think... a lot! Any chance a new chapter comes
out before new year?
As always, thanks for writing and sharing! Please, don’t stop! Please, stay safe!
Author's Response:
Thanks for reviewing 🙂
Yeah, I created Christine's character as cruel and abusive to the little aphids as well as some other ants that share similar mindsets to her as we will see later on since I don't want Antopia to be a perfect angelic society: I instead want it to be a realistic one where there are good people and bad people and yeah Jack Feeler as well as Christine who wish to exert their power on those who are helpless and who would wish to be bigger so that dominate more people.
Lucy would never actually hurt her brother if she knew who and where he was. It will be primarily unaware interactions between them throughout the majority of the story. The point I am trying to make is that actions that we do for fun can actually have severe consequences on the recipients.
You are absolutely right when you say that Max will have to pay a hefty price in order for Lucy to realise that she has gone too far and the gravity of her actions. It is only when we hurt the ones who love us the most that true understanding and regret can be made.
About Princess Penelope, we will later discover her relationships with both aphids and humans and this will help tie nicely in with her size fantasies. We will also discover her history of sugar raids with her fellow ants including breaking into human nests.
At the end of the story, forgiveness will become a major key player. That being said, the question remains, can some really terrible things ever be forgiven?
The next chapter will be out next month (hopefully) it is like 80% done. I am actually graduating from university end of the year so it might be a bit hectic with everything going on but fingers crossed.
Date: November 19 2023 2:34 AM Title: Chapter 6: The Smallest Microphile in the World
I wonder if you'd consider downsizing the main character again
Author's Response:
Lol, who knows? Maybe I will make him even smaller to aphid-sized temporarily to make him have some sexy time with Princess Penelope😜 and microscopic interactions with humans