Now, the machismo in Jamaica is out of control, but it was the guy at a table with three other women that was reading the YA book with a female protagonist.

That's pretty awesome. Although I suspect a lot of guys will argue that it's not a girly book because of all the bloodshed.

Jeff Lindsay to write canonical Dexter comic books: [link]

Although I suspect a lot of guys will argue that it's not a girly book because of all the bloodshed.

@@ forever. Childbirth, anyone? And even for all the wimmin's like me who will never go through childbirth...um, menstruation much?

I've seen more blood in my life than most doctors. WTFever, "women and bloodshed."

Not directed at you, Suela; at the concept.

I know. Violence is manly! Suffering to bring forth new life, however, isn't.

Violence isn't manly. It's human. Women are just as violent as men are; in general, women try other methods to resolve issues first -- some positive, some negative.

When I am Queen of the Universe, I will knock sense into people's headseses. Iron fist, stylish velvet glove.

Why are the 4th and 5th Skulduggery Pleasant books not only not at my library, but NOT IN THIS COUNTRY? What kind of bullshit is this, people?

Teppy, I think Billy-Ray doesn't show up until book 2, so Smonster, at least, hasn't met him yet. I like him, both as a well-drawn character and because he brings the creepy, in a couple different ways.

Tanith wins. Such a good contrast with Skul.

I do get much more of a whiff of intentional adolescence metaphor with SP than with HG, but that's probably only noticeable because I read the series back to back.

eta: which vaguely relates to my realization, when I was pondering what name I would take, that I already took a name back when I was in High School, and, yeah, teenagers are not necessarily the best at choosing long-term identifiers. Not that I regret the choice, but there is a bit of being stuck with it, now. t /eta

I just got through the chapter with Grouse's "you realize that it's problematic that you solve everything with violence, right?" speech, which I'm glad got pointed out.

Why are the 4th and 5th Skulduggery Pleasant books not only not at my library, but NOT IN THIS COUNTRY? What kind of bullshit is this, people?

And the 6th. Welcome to my obsessive, willing-to-pay-shipping-from-the-UK, bookfiend ways. (And 4, 5, and 6 are the ones that get nice and dark.)

I just got through the chapter with Grouse's "you realize that it's problematic that you solve everything with violence, right?" speech, which I'm glad got pointed out.

Awww, Kenspeckle is THE MAN. He's so curmudgeonly and so awesome. And he's right about the violence; no matter how clever Skulduggery is, it always comes down to a punch in the face.

Woe! Woe that I am a poor grad student!

So, do you think, in Landy's head, it's more that people choose names that suit them already or grow into their chosen names?

So, do you think, in Landy's head, it's more that people choose names that suit them already or grow into their chosen names?

I don't know. I mean, Ghastly Bespoke was born all scarred, so -- Ghastly. But he didn't become a tailor (Bespoke), one presumes, until he was an adult. And Skulduggery -- was that his chosen name when he was alive? I assume yes, but -- hello, self-fulfilling prophecy! Also, he's not pleasant. I mean, he's a suave motherfucker, and witty, etc. But he's not a nice man. Uh, skeleton.

I think, really, that the first book wasn't intended to be the first in a series (the first edition of the first book is just named Skulduggery Pleasant, without The Scepter of the Ancients tacked on). And so the names were just meant to be apt but amusing, and not really anything deeper than that.

So I think there's been some retcon that's had to happen as it became a series, which has mostly worked. (One of the Things in Book 6 is a retcon, and I still can't decide how I feel about it.)

the first edition of the first book is just named Skulduggery Pleasant, without The Scepter of the Ancients tacked on

This is the edition that the library has. I had to consciously parse "oh, they must have pulled a Raiders" when I came across the New Improved Title.

One of the Things in Book 6 i

Taunty McTaunterpants