Luminous Beings (Star Wars website)
| Personal Fanfiction Website | |
|---|---|
| Website: | Luminous Beings |
| Author: | Irene Heron |
| Dates: | founded 01 September 2002; last updated 22 February 2004 |
| Fandom: | Star Wars |
| URL: | http://www.luminousbeings.net/ |
| Click here for related articles on Fanlore. | |
Luminous Beings is Irene Heron's Star Wars fanfiction site. It was originally intended as a site for both her Star Wars and Lord of the Rings stories,[1] and the site's splash page graphic and link banner still feature Sam and Frodo.
Most of the stories on the site are Han/Luke or Han or Luke gen.
The luminousbeings.net domain also hosts various Lord of the Rings fansites, including A Bit of Light, Fireside Tales, In A Green Shade, Return to Me, Flowers in a Lightning Storm, Quill and Candle, and Things Invisible. It also hosted Irene's Man from U.N.C.L.E. fansite, Partner Mine.
Site History
The site was launched on September 1, 2002, "after two years of haphazard planning".[2] Irene credits Tina for help with the site's HTML and creating the site's logos and navigation buttons, and Cara Loup for the splash pages, banners, and "introducing [her] to the glory that is Han/Luke!".
The site's name comes from a quote from The Empire Strikes Back, spoken by Yoda to Luke Skywalker: "Luminous beings are we, not this crude matter." This quote is included on the site's home page and the splash page graphic. Irene alludes to this quote when writing about the appeal of Luke Skywalker and Han Solo on the site's index page:
Luke indeed becomes a luminous being by the end of their respective quests, integrating his physicality and spirituality into a unified whole that is somehow greater than the sum of the individual parts. He is transcendent -- an enlightened visionary who endured fire, walked in shadow, and chose the light. Yet he is still made of matter, confined by his physical form and trapped within a lonely existence.And what of his trusted companion Han Solo, who willingly joins the hero's quest? His journey is equally remarkable, or perhaps even more so, for he is inspired not by a cause but by faith in and abiding love for another person. Han sacrifices, suffers and endures, walks behind the hero and sometimes leads when strength flags. Han is also transformed, not by the quest itself, but by his connection to and feelings for Luke.
Luminous Beings was last updated on February 22, 2004, at which time two new stories were added, the links page was updated, and the site's appearance was "slightly revamped". Irene announced:[2]
- "Gafiation has taken its toll and this website will no longer be updated. Never fear, however, luminous beings will not disappear from the web. Han and Luke will always be very precious to me, and I hope that perhaps through this site's offerings others will find joy with them. Love the boys well and they will enrich your life."
Fiction
Fanfiction is divided into two pages: one for "adult" stories (rated R or NC-17), and one for "everything else" (lower-rated stories). Story listings contain story summaries, the fanzine in which the story originally appeared (where applicable), the date written, the date posted, the story length in kilobytes, and the rating.
The main fiction page states:
Welcome to the Star Wars fiction page, which is divided into two categories - Adult and Everything Else.Readers will find a variety of fiction in this archive, from comic vignettes to angsty novellas. Some stories have been carefully crafted to comply with filmed canon, while others are deliberate alternate realities. People and events from the pro-fiction have been cheerfully ignored or used, as stories' needs dictate. Ratings range from G to NC-17. All stories focus on the original trilogy, and prominently feature Luke Skywalker and Han Solo. Most of the stories deal with themes of love, growth, acceptance, power, responsibility and/or loss.
A few words of explanation: The non-adult archive contains a mix of "gen" and "slash" works. No distinction is made between heterosexual or homosexual story content within a rating level. Readers may find non-explicit homosexual relationships in G through PG-13 rated stories. The owner of this website feels strongly that no one, including children and gray-haired grannies, needs to be shielded from stories which portray a love existing between two members of the same gender. Ratings are based strictly on language, themes and sexual intimacy, and are applied equally to action adventure, heterosexual romance and homosexual romance categories.
The adult fiction section contains stories rated R and NC-17 and are strictly for those above the age of majority in their locale. Some stories are sexually explicit, some deal with adult and/or dark themes. There are no torture or abuse stories within these pages. Most of these stories are considered "slash", that is, a romantic/sexual relationship existing between members of the same gender.
Adult Fic
- A Blessing in Disguise (January 2000)
- From the Ashes (January - April 2001)
- Jigsaw (October 1998)
- Power Surge (May 1999)
- From A Certain Point of View
- No Regrets (April 2000) – "The NC-17 final chapter in an otherwise non-adult series."
- The Adventurers' Cycle: An Alternate Universe Series
- Departures (March 1999)
- Captain's Privilege (August 2000)
- Destinations (August 1999)
Non-Adult Fic
- A New POV: Bystander Stories – "Originally appeared in 'A New POV: Bystander Stories', 2003. This was a very special project: the publisher, also a fabulously talented artist, provided a neutral fannish image and invited interpretations of the scene as an onlooker might experience it. Here are two very different stories about how outsiders might view the relationship between Han and Luke, inspired by a single image."
- The Stars Inside (September 2002)
- Jihad (September 2002)
- Expiration Date (November 2000)
- Her Son's Legacy (January 1999)
- Lan Can Cook! (March 2001)
- Out of the Terror (April 1999)
- R e v i s i o n s !, or, The Fanfic Author's Lament (May 1999)
- When I Wasn't Looking (July 1999)
- 'From a Certain Point of View' Series
- A Breach of Protocol (January-April 2000)
- Forever in the Branches (June 1999)
- Laughter in the Dark (July 1999)
Links to Other Sites
- Elusive Lover – "Elusive Lover is the first (and best) website devoted to the Jedi and the Smuggler. The first two issues of the print zine are now online (including glorious art), plus additional web-only art and fic. I visit frequently to get my Han/Luke fix. If outstanding writing and exceptional art appeals to you, well, you won't be disappointed!"
- Lady Angel's Den of Debauchery – "Angel has proven herself a prolific and constantly improving Han/Luke author. Her fiction ranges from schmoop to very very dark, so there's something here for everyone. She's also started vidding! Do check out her offerings."
- Chrysopaz & Brandy – "Morgan D's Han/Luke list fiction, mostly very short challenge pieces, but very enjoyable. "
- Buddy System – "Sayaka's adorable anime/manga style Star Wars art."
- The Corellian Embassy – "A highly popular gen Star Wars website featuring fanfiction previously published in zines. Definitely Han Solo-centric, but there's plenty of Luke to enjoy too, and some of the fic is so focused on the Han & Luke friendship that it could be considered pre-slash."
Screenshots
Splash page
Index page
Star Wars Fiction page
References
- ^ www.luminousbeings.net, archived 25 October 2002 by the Wayback Machine.
- ^ a b Luminous Beings - What's New. (Accessed 02 January 2016.)