Right, so I just finished The Faceless Ones. Not on, Landy. You cannot go doing that thing, and then that other thing. Although the thing at the end is pretty cool, and something I'd been sort of vaguely thinking about.

Or, with more nouns: Mr Bliss! Nooooooo! Skul! Noo! (He's the title character. He's coming back. That's why he only gets two Os). I totally called Paddy, midway through the scene where he gave Val the ring. I understand the whole hero-worship thing, but, really, it seems silly to have both Val and Skul with the same potential skill-set, so, while necromancy would not be my first choice for her, it makes so much more sense than going elemental.

The (over-)use of her reflection, I know, is a whole metaphor thing, but it's totally Chekov's gun at this point. That shit's gonna explode on her in a big, bad way in the not-too-distant future.

Debet, I didn't see Paddy coming at all. The damn ring should have been -- and is -- so obvious, and I fell for it like a sap.

And I greatly object to killing Mr. Bliss, damn it. NOT ON.

I really, REALLY dug the idea of Val getting necromancy training. Because I just really dug the whole "How do you like my darkness now?" potential of it.

I always thought that Lord Vile having a whole damn suit of necromancy armor (and Baron Vengeous borrowing it) was a big cheat. I mean, DAMN, a whole suit of armor? Solomon Wreath just has a pimp cane. I feel like you have to be some kind of weak to need a whole suit of necromancy armor.

Because I just really dug the whole....potential of it.

Interesting.

I feel like the one aspect of the books where Landy's really telling, rather than showing, is with everyone ever telling her that hanging out with Skul is bad for her. If it were being spun as "trouble follows him wherever he goes", sure. But, "he's an angry, angry man and will warp you horribly"? He really doesn't seem to be particularly much of an outlier on that one. Maybe it's just that we've not been introduced to many "normal" sorcerers, only villains, power-players, and people at the margins. The closest we've seen, I think, to emotionally-healthy sorcerers are Ghastly and Kenspekle, and, I guess, Tanith, and two of them are in most of the fights that Skul and Val are in. Is it just that she's so young? (Don't get me wrong, that's a a valid concern). Is there something important that I'm either missing or we've not yet been told?

I feel like you have to be some kind of weak to need a whole suit of necromancy armor.

Someone has an inferiority complex.

Because I just really dug the whole....potential of it.

Interesting.

Well, I just figured, necromancy is such a dark, creepy power that Val starting to train in it had potential for lovely grey areas.

Is it just that she's so young? (Don't get me wrong, that's a a valid concern). Is there something important that I'm either missing or we've not yet been told?

I think maybe it's her age, as well as the fact that she was raised in a (more or less) magic-unaware mortal world, rather than growing up with it. Kind of like Harry Potter, I guess, but the flip side.

But, "he's an angry, angry man and will warp you horribly"? He really doesn't seem to be particularly much of an outlier on that one.

Yeah, I don't think the books really do a good job of showing how fucked up he is. I *do* think he is, but it's not shown well. And I don't know if that's because it's a YA book (but, come on, there are some YA books that are dark as hell), or if it's just something Landy can't get to in his writing (which is a big flaw on his part). I don't know.

No, I completely agree.

I'd love to see some kids who did grow up in this world, at some point.

It would also be helpful if the alternative that was presented to Val was something other than "go home and forget all about this". Because that's really something that's going to happen. Right.

We get a really strong sense of Skul's affection for her, which, I think, is the trade-off in the characterization. But she's not the POV character (at least not all the time).

It also robs the story of a strong character arc for Skul, which there's so much potential for, dammit.

Did someone post this yet? Sherwood Smith's Book View Cafe article on Fanfiction vs. Metafiction: [link] ?

A very interesting conversation about Daphne Du Maurier: Justine Picardie (who wrote a book about Du Maurier) doing a Q&A with Guardian readers.

Does anyone with a Nook have Mockingjay? I think someone lent it to me, and Dan finished the second book in the Hunger Games trilogy last night and wants to read the third.

I would be happy to cross-lend. If not, he can read the first Skulduggery Pleasant until we can get it.

I do, Erin, and I am wanting to successfully pull off this Lending maneuver! I believe you are one of my "NOOK Friends TM" already, so that should help.

I forget if anyone here likes Joe Lansdale, but if so I recommend this short story by Joshua Ellis: [link]