Not sure if this has been discussed, but Janet Frame died last week.

Oh, what an amazingly hard life.

Has anyone read Ruse? There are, so far, two volumes of comics collected, and I can't wait for the third. It's got an Edwardian setting, anachronisms explained well enough by the alternate reality thing -- gargoyles are dangerous beasts that really fly around and eat things, including people -- and the hero is a Sherlock Holmes type. He doesn't hate women, though, he just has little respect for anyone. His assistant is a woman, though there are hints she's not human. I've really enjoyed the first two.

I love ruse. Love alternate world Victoriana, and Edwardiana in general.

Currently reading American Gods. Loving it. Can't really imagine what's coming, and that's good.

So please, nobody spoil it for me!

Gar, have you read the comics, or are you just reading it now? I'm getting mine from the library, so I don't have access to the unbound comics. I think it's really good storytelling and very well-done art in a setting I almost always enjoy.

I read the same bound ones you read volumes one and two. They were in Borders last year, and I read them in store.Like you I would love to read the third volume.

I agree that it is good storytelling.

I am moving so I'm purging a bunch of stuff.

If anyone is interested in a free, hardcover copy of A Kiss of Shadows by Laurel K. Hamilton, e-me at my profile address.

Ooh, I never knew you could order those posters! I wonder if teachers can get a discount, because baby, what GREAT decorations for my future classrooms!

Erin. You can get a discount if you are an ALA member. Or if you get your school librarian who is quite possibly a school librarian, to order them for you.

So, I bought the new LKH Merry Gentry novel, because I really needed a wallow.

And, to my surprise, it's better than the last one, and actually has a plot. The downside is that Merry has joined Anita in the Superpower Of The Novel club, with every installment making her less and less vulnerable to anything.

So, if you need to check your mind for an hour or so, if you find Laurell K. Hamilton acceptable mind-candy, go for it.

deborah, I know you are having a hell of a couple of weeks, so I thought I would just post this here in hopes that you will see it sooner or later.

'Weaver' went to both my grandmother and great-aunt for christmas, both of whom are voracious and discerning readers. They both called me separately in the last few days (grandma in WI and aunt in CA) to tell me how much they liked the book.

This is quite a rarity, neither are phone people and I can't remember the last time they called for something other than birthdays.

Grandma says that she really cared about the characters which is to her the most important thing in any book, and she loved the language. Both were happy to hear of future installments (good for me, future present ideas!). I haven't had a chance to read the copy I got for myself, but I thought I would pass the praise along! Much -ma sent your way for everything.