dhampyresa

There was an outdoor theater today at DCU and the film they showed was Mean Girls. I'd never seen it before, it's fun. there was one guy dressed all in pink (where did he get pink shorts? Also, wow he must have been pretty cool) and everyone turned to him and chorused "YOU GO GLEN COCO" at him at that point of the movie. Also, but to a lesser extent, on "On Wednesdays we wear pink".

What did you finish reading

Undead to the World, by D D Barant: I have a feeling I would have liked this book a lot more if it hadn't been the last one in the series (as in, there will be no more Bloodhound Files books ever). As it stands, we spend a lot of time in Jace-who-believes-she's-not-Jace's head, which is somewhat disappointing. The series' main antagonist is killed off-screen, but I did love who killed him and why. I loved that pretty much every single character in the entire series was given a cameo as an AU version of themselves in this book. I did love the fight scenes and that Azura came back, but saying I wasn't a fan of the implication that Charlie (Aleph) had feelings for Jace would be an understatement. THAT NEVER HAPPENED. PLATONIC BFFS TO THE END OF THE WORLD(S) AND MORE. Still not a fan of the romance with that dude she got together with. I did like the insight into Charlie's past and I hope he goes back to being a golem (POWERED BY A T-REX). I am also firmly convinced that Jace decided to stay on Thropirelem at the end there, because Jace and Charlie having adventure and investigating shit and putting bad guys behind bars and snarking at each other and taking on gods and Elder Gods is my idea of a happy ending for them.

"[...] Who is Charlie supposed to be?"

"My partner," I say as I stand. "Come hell, high water, or the apocalypse."

Look at those two! I love those Jace and Charlie and Jace&Charlie so goddamn much and I am going to miss them something fierce.


The Bloodhound Files, a series by D D Barant: Overall, I really enjoyed the series. I think it's the kind of series that is great if T-REX POWERED GOLEM and TALKING SHIT TO ELDER GODS are the kind of things that sounds good to you. I'm not saying it's bad otherwise, because it's not, but that's clearly the main target audience. I wish more books had that target audience. I think my favourite book in the series was the third one, Killing Rocks and the order of how much I like them goes something like: 3, 2, 5, 1, 4, 6.


What are you reading now

The HitchHiker's Guide to the Galaxy, by Douglas Adams: I should probably mention here that I saw the movie in cinemas way back when it first came out. Man, it is so weird that the mice and Deep thought are referred to by male pronouns as I remembered them being female. On the whole I like it, but I have a feeling I'm not liking it as much as I thought I would and I don't like that the only female character is pretty much completely sidelined so far. It sticks pretty close to what I remember from the movie so far, so it loses the element of surprise.


What are you reading next

So the DCU Book Society had another Book Sale, at which it turned out they had a book quota (that got lifted when everyone had bought their allotted two books). As it turns out, my little shopping spree is the reason they now have a book quota. I feel weirdly proud of that. What mark did I leave on the world? I made a book club fear my love of books, that's something.*


*Plus, you know, I am also the reason my teacher from when I was seven now has a "if you feel sick and need to go to the bathroom, just go, don't ask" rule. Strangely, I am less proud of that.

What did you finish reading

Killing Rocks, by DD Barant: Remeber how I said stories would be A Theme? It was! This story also involved two main alternate universes (Thropirelem, the world Jace was magicked to and Azura's homeworld). There is also Ahasuerus' homeworld. I say 'main alternate universes', because there is a sequence where Ahasuerus goes on a rampage over several other alternate universes. (As a sidenote: I'm not a big fan of the Wandering Jew being an insane serial killer, especially given that a) he's not Jewish but b) his name still makes him the most visible Jewish character in the books, unless you count Charlie. Charlie certainly seems to count himself, since he's the one who tells Jace that "We're considered Jewish by default". In general though there's very lttle about religion aside form a worldbuildy point of view and I don't know how to feel about any of it. On the other hand, I'm not sure it matters, given how little religion gets mentionned. Wow, this sidenote got long.)

There is mindcontrol involved and also did I mention that I love Jace and Charlie? Because at some point Jace thinks she's killed Charlie (he's under mindcontrol), has a break down ("I didn't think of him as a friend, because on this planet he was the closest thing I had to family. I trusted him with my life.") and then there is this passage:

I may just have intercepted my former partner on his way to murder me.

So why am I suddenly so damn happy?

I also like this passage, between Jace and a vampire going through the interdimensional version of jetlag and a severe bloodlust.

"I'll get you whatever you need, okay?"
"I need..."
Oh, boy. here it comes.
He straightens up, looks me in the eye. His eyes are blood red, and his incisors way too prominent.
"I need a hug," he says.
[...]
"I trust you, okay?"
It's like hugging a statue, at first. His skin is cold, his muscles rigid. But I'm just as stubborn at hugging as I am at everything else, and I refuse to let go.
[...]
"You can hold me tighter," I whisper. "I'm not going to break."
"I could snap your neck without even trying," he whispers back.

I read these books for the friendships and for Jace and everyone around her being badasses. This book doesn't disappoint. I don't want to spoil it more than I already have, but it's great. (Azura in particular is excellent, but spoilery.) Let's just say the political landscape of Thropirelem changes quite a bit.


Better Off Undead, D D Barant: Okay, so I don't know if it's because this is where these books stop being re-reads and start being reads again, or because of the titles of 4, 5 and 6 containg the word "Undead", but I feel like there's a subtle genre shift between the first and last half of the series. The plots of 4 and 5 (especially 4) are more restrained, less 'magic comics', more 'mob crimes'. This isn't a bad thing per se, just something I noticed. I didn't enjoy this book as much as the others, though I did enjoy it. I could have done without the surprise!romance(-ish, this is Jace, after all) at the end or the brief/vague sex scene (also a change from the ealier books, who had practically no romance or sex, unless you count Jace's one night-stand with Tanka and that was fade-to-black). Jace and Charlie still deliver on the friendship and rigteous ass-kicking front:

"Oh, boy," he sighs. "Okay. Before we get started, I want to make one thing absolutely, crystal clear."
"What?" I snarl.
"You're doing the paperwork."
"For what?"
"For whatever rage-induced mayhem we're about to inflict."
I take a deep, deep breath. "We?"
"Yeah." one word, but the weight Charlie gives it almost makes me smile. it's a weight that crushes any sort of doubt as to where he stands.
Right by my side. No matter what.
"Yeah," I say. "Let's go do some inflicting."

I also have a fondness for Jace performing CPR to the Bee Gees' Staying Alive.


Back From the Undead, D D Barant: Starts off as another 'human crimes get so much worse when the people involved are immortal', when Jace starts investigating the disappearance of vampire orphans (due to the worldbuilding, they're going to stay children forever), but then starts involving spirits, tricksters, gods and Outer Gods (namely Dagon and Yog-Sothoth) because this series cranks everything up to eleven in the most entertaining of ways. The reason behind this actually makes sense too. The climax of the book comes a little after this line of dialogue (spoken to Jace, because of course it was):

"Are you out of your tiny human mind? You do't just arrange a meeting between gods like you're scheduling a conference call!

HAHAHA JOKE'S ON YOU YOU CAN IF YOU'RE JACE VALCHEK Have I mentionned yet that Jace's tendancy to bulldoze all over everything is a source of great joy for me? Because it is, it so is. Speaking of sources of joy, it's time for the Jace And Charlie Friendship Hour TM

"Heaven won't have me, Charlie. So I'm going to pay a visit to the other place."
"Not without me you're not."
"Wouldn't dream of it."

There's also a freak-out from Jace once the anti-firearms spell on Thropirelem starts infecting her. It's very interesting to see her react to that. Also! The action of this one takes place in Canada. I could still have done without the tiny bit of romance at the beginning and the trippy dream sex sequence, although it did at least serve a purpose, plot-wise. Also also, I still sort of shipping Jace/Stoker, but damn, that mn is ruthless.


What are you reading now

Undead to the World, by D D Barant: The first couple of chapters of this one are a mind-trip. We're trust inside the mind of Jace Valchek (so far, so good), part-time waitress (?), on anti-psychotoc meds (??) because of her break-down where she believed she was a character from a TV Show (???), Jace Red Dog (?????) of The Bloodhound Files (???????????). What follows is a sort of small-town AU of the regular series, where everyone is human, every character makes an appearance, dead or alive (even Billy "I just drive the truck" Beta), Stoker is the town sheriff, Quinn Silver (AU!Quicksilver Kid) is his Deputy, Dr Pete and Tair are brothers, Gretchen is a librarian, a murdering ghost is on the prowl and Charlie owns a bar. Speaking of Charlie, he is still Jace's best friend as this exchange will demonstrate:

"Charlie? It's me."
"I know it's you, Jace. I know how to cast this wonderful magic spell, call display. It only works on a rare mystic artefact known as a cell phone, but fortunately I have one of those, too -"
"Shut up, bonehead. I have a problem."
"And a truly unique way of asking for assistance-"
"You know that old saying about good friends, and what they'll help you do?"
"You'll have to unvague that for me."
"A friend will help you move. A good friend-" I pause, and hold my breath.
"Where are you?"
"The creepiest house in town. In the basement."
"Stay there. Don't call anyone else. Give me ten-no, fifteen minutes."
"Okay."
He hangs up. I let out my breath slowly. A good friend will help you move a body.

At which point things kick into gear and remember that murderous ghost I mentionned above? Things get real! Azura makes an appearance (Azura ♥!), and people start regaining their memories ("Who is Charlie supposed to be?" / "My partner. Come hell, high water, or the apocalypse.") and that's about where I'm at.


What are you reading next

The HitchHiker's Guide to the Galaxy, by popular demand. Or maybe one of the books I'm going to buy at tomorrow's booksale (OMG YAY BOOKS).

What did you finish reading

The three Benjamin January short stories (all by Barbara Hambly):
Libre: I liked it! It's got an early series feel to it (no mention of Rose, iirc, for exemple) and Dominique was great. Plus the resolution was way cool.
There Shall Your Heart Be Also: I think Ben puts it best when he says "Kentucky Williams owns a Bible?" but I enjoyed this a lot. Also set early series, it's got Ben and Hannibal palling around and Kentucky Williams. I like Kentucky Williams, even if she has like twenty lines in the whole series. I love the shenanigans with the Bible and the resolution.
A Time to Every Purpose Under Heaven: THIS IS MY FAVOURITE OMG IT'S A DETECTIVE TEAM-UP BETWEEN ROSE AND DOMINIQUE! It starts with

Rose Janvier was the first neighbor across Rue Esplanade that morning at the sound of
Agathe Truande’s screams: this turned out to be an extremely unfortunate circumstance for a
number of the people concerned.

and it only gets better from there and oh, Rose. (Strange that there was no Shaw, though.)


What are you reading now

New Orleans Noir, anthology edited by Julie Smith: I thought I might as well read the whole book where There Shall Your Heart Be Also is collected, but I made it two stories in before I had to take a break. The introduction is very interesting and I wasn't a fan of What's the Score? because I wasn't sure what was going on. Two-story Brick Houses, on the other hand... It packs quite a punch. I could tell when I started to read it that it was ended nowhere good, but I didn't expect it to go so bad or hit so many of my DNW buttons. In retrospect, most of the DNW were obvious and I should have dropped the story, but I kept thinking, "how bad can it get?" even as it got worse and well. I won't spoil the ending, but ouch. I don't think I can be objective about this story. It's got good SPaG?

Dying Bites, by DD Barant: I needed a break after Two-story Brick Houses, something light-hearted and fun, so I picked up this book for a re-read. It's about Jace Valchek, FBI profiler, who finds herself thrown into a world where there are less than a million human beings left, with everyone else being either a vampire, a werewolf or a golem. Also, no guns. At all. (The worldbuilding for this is quite interesting.) Mostly, I remembered the main relationship being the friendship between Jace and Charlie Aleph, her new partner. He's a golem who wears pinstripped suits and IS POWERED BY A T-REX YESSSSSSSS

Hannibal's Odyssey, by William Mahaney: I read a chapter and had to renew it at the library again.


What are you reading next

Probably the other two BloodHound Files novels I've already got and likely the next ones as well (T-REX POWERED GOLEM). After that, who knows?