Amused in Review

The second in the Harry Dresden, wizard-as-PI in modern-day Chicago series. In this one he deals with werewolves of various varieties: if it has some background in legend, it shows up here. More satisfying, I think, than the first, because Harry actually learns something besides the details of lycanthropy. I was bugged by the way the first book had Harry withholding vital information from his friends "to protect" them (actually just so the plot would move forward); in Fool Moon he sees the error of his ways, although he doesn't actually act on that realization. Maybe next book.

Third, and least, in the Keeper Chronicles. In terms of character development, I liked the young Keeper, Diana, developing a lesbian attraction, but overall the humor was too forced. Mall culture is just too easy a target, and you need a lighter touch than Tanya Huff was able to muster, or the result is grimaces instead of giggles or guffaws.

Another reasonably fun Mary-Sue. This time she's a girl genius in a Pittsburgh that has been accidentally made into a gateway to the Planet of the Elves by imperfect stargate technology. Some neat ideas, lots of people gushing about how special she is, pursuit by several dishy men, a set of hatable baddies. What more could you want?

I've grown tired of fighting comment spammers, so I've disabled comments in this blog. I'm sorry to have to do this, but the ratio of spam comments to real comments has gotten ridiculous. You are still welcome to email your comments to me. And as for the comment spammers:

For him that Spammeth on these blogs,
Let his keyboard change into a Serpent in his hand & rend him.
Let him be struck with Palsy, & all his Members blasted.
Let him languish in Pain crying aloud for Mercy,
Let there be no Surcease to his Agony till he sink to Dissolution.
Let Bookworms gnaw his Entrails in token of the Worm that dieth not,
When at last he goeth to his final Punishment,
Let the flames of hell consume him for ever & aye.

op3.fwx (application/pdf Object)

Interesting opinion by Posner, upholding Gaiman's claim to co-ownership of the copyright for Medieval Spawn and Count Cogliostro. It's not often that you'll see a US District Court opinion recite--in detail--the origin story of a comic-book character.

I wonder if Todd has yet understood that keeping his promises in the first place would have been the wiser course.

link via The Volokh Conspiracy

A friend of mine was asking about these, and yes they're still in print, so here they are. The adventures of a weird little super-tough mini-tyrranosaur, wandering around the modern wilderness. Completely wordless, with lavishly illustrated fauna (much more naturalistic and detailed than most manga, or for that matter most american comics).

Thanks to MT-Blacklist, I've been able to restore comments.