4.
Title: [Men at Arms]
Author: Terry Pratchett
Genre: Satiric Fantasy
Medium: Paperback
Acquisition: Purchased
Date Completed: January 18, 2017
Rating: *****

Of course Corporal Carrot is the heir to the AnkhMorpork throne: it's written in his narrative blood. He's physically imposing, while thoroughly charming, a natural leader to whom others can't help but listen, and so honest and earnest he registers as simple. But woe be unto him who confuses simple with stupid, as Carrot certainly isn't the latter.  In fact, he's too smart to fall for the romance of kingship, and smart enough, too, to recognize just how well his city of birth operates under the controversial-yet-thoughtful patrician, Vetinari. Unfortunately, as they are wont, the noblemen aren't satisfied with a social system that puts guilds members at their elbows as opposed to below their feet, and one such nobleman takes it upon himself to depose the tyrant patrician and raise up the rightful king.  And he has a secret weapon.

On the ground, this weapon causes strife and mystery, and it's up to Sam Vimes to get to the bottom of it - before his untimely marriage to Lady Sibyl, upon which he'll retire to become a gentleman of *shudder* leisure. New guardsmen and women have joined the ranks of the Night Watch, and the wheels of change are firmly in motion.

The guards books remain some of the strongest in the Discworld series, cutting critical paths through wide swathes of social territory with wit and humor, and unforgettable characters.  If anyone is uncertain over whether or not they'd like to Pratchett, this may be the book to try - if you don't enjoy this one, I don't know that you'd enjoy any.

3.
Title: [Lords and Ladies]
Author: Terry Pratchett
Genre: Satiric Fantasy
Medium: Paperback
Acquisition: Purchased
Date Completed: January 2017
Rating: ***1/2

When the Ramptops witches return from their fairy godmothering jaunt, the youngest witch, Magrat, finds her future has been organized in her absence.  King Verence, with whom she has had a quiet but unsettled "agreement" has chosen a wedding date, purchased her bridal gown, and otherwise assumed the particulars, as his research has told him he ought. Following a riff with Granny Weatherwax which leaves her feeling alienated in their coven once again, Magrat accepts Verence's orchestrations and moves into the castle, while Nanny Ogg and Granny Weatherwax organize themselves to fight an old foe who has been awakened by silly girls playing at The Craft.

Pratchett's take on A Midsummer Night's Dream thinks about folklore and community traditions, and reaches back into a history when people really knew that all that's beautiful isn't good. Satirizing contemporary appreciation for cultural knowledge, this fantasy well develops an otherwise hyperbolic crone, and balances humor and tension in an overall enjoyable story.

2.

Title: [Small Gods]

Author: Terry Pratchett

Genre: Satiric Fantasy

Medium: Paperback

Acquisition: Purchased

Date Completed: January 7, 2017

Rating: ***

"Your sexual organs to sprout wings and fly away! ... Your intestines to be wound around a tree until you are sorry!" (34)

Small Gods tells the tale of Om, a once-great Discworld god now consigned to the physical manifestation of a turtle, desperately clinging to his sole true believer (despite a nation of thousands which proclaim their devotion). Faith makes the god here, and Om tries to direct Brutha in ways that may reignite the faith of others, or at least wreck petty vengence on those whom Om judges harshly, before he is forgotten and fades entirely. At times plodding and others fantastically engaging, Small Gods satirizes ancient religious cultures and peoples, and offers critique that is not that alien today. Though I think I enjoyed it much more the first time around, it's possible that this easily stand-alone novel just couldn't hold up to the other fun things begging for my attention this weekend. 

1.
Title: [Witches Abroad]
Author: Terry Pratchett
Genre: Satiric Fantasy
Medium: Paperback
Acquisition: Purchased
Date Completed: January 2, 2017
Rating: ****

Witches may know when they're going to die, but this doesn't always mean they leave behind clear instructions.  Knowing the moment of her own death, Ramtop witch Desiderata has a neighbor dig a grave, buys her coffin, and asks a neighbor to deliver a package once he finishes filling in her grave (by pre-arrangement). When Death arrives they stroll out together, and she ends her life tidily tucked into her pine box.

The story she leaves to continue in her absence isn't quite so neat.  For one, Desiderata was a fairy godmother whose charge is still in need of some help. The package she has delivered is her wand, Emberella does not marry the prince.

A new-to-me witch story, Witches Abroad takes the small Ramtops coven of Granny, Nanny, and Magrat away from their homes and on a journey to "foreign parts," to save a young girl from a story she never actually wished for.  The novel's take on stories, and the pervasive nature of urban myths and folklore, makes a strong vehicle for a fun romp, where everything is just familiar enough to be endearing, and just uncanny enough to be interesting.

Books Read in 2016

Books Read in 2016

1. Skin Trade by Laurell K. Hamilton. Vampires. 1.3.16. Bah.
2. Blood Noir by Laurell K. Hamilton. Vampires. 1.6.16. ****
3. Are You My Mother? by Alison Bechdel. Graphic Autobiography. 1.12.16. ****
4. The Missionary by Sydney Owenson.  Victorian Oriental Fiction. 1.13.16. *
5. Through the Woods by Emily Carroll.  Graphic Ghost Stories. 1.14.16. ****
6. Medea by Euripides. Greek Drama. 1.16.16. ****
7. Manhood in America by Michael Kimmel. Masculinity Studies. 1.22.16. ***
8. Lady Susan by Jane Austen. Nineteenth-Century. 1.24.16. *****

9. Jack Sheppard by William Harrison Ainsworth. Newgate fiction. 2.1.16. ****
10. The Politics of Gender in Victorian Britain: Masculinity, Political Culture and the Struggle for Women's Rights by Ben Griffin. Masculinity Studies. 2.5.16. ***
11. One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest by Ken Kesey. Fiction. 2.10.16. *****
12. Manliness & Civilization by Gail Bederman. Masculinity. 2.20.16. ***1/2
13. We Have Always Lived in the Castle by Shirley Jackson. Gothic Satire. 2.23.16. ****

14. Victorian Masculinities: Manhood and Masculine Poetics in Early Victorian Literature and Art by Herbert Sussman. Masculinities. 3.4.16. ***1/2
15. Houdini, Tarzan, and the Perfect Man: The White Male Body and the Challenge of Modernity in America by John F. Kasson. Masculinities. 3.4.16. ****
16. Fire Touched by Patricia Briggs. Urban Fantasy. 3.9.16. ***
17. Masculinity, Crime and Self-Defence in Victorian Literature: Duelling with Danger by Emelyne Godfrey. Masculinities. 3.19.16. ****
18. The Joker: Death of the Family by Scott Snyder and Greg Capullo.  Comics. 3.20.16. *****
19. The Man Who Laughs by Ed Brubaker. Comics. 3.21.16. ****
20. Primary source readings in Victorian Gender. 3.27.16. *****

21. Manning the Race by Marlon B Ross. Sexuality and Masculinity. 4.1.16. ***1/2
22. The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien. Fantasy. 4.5.16. *****
23. Batman Detective Comics #1: Faces of Death by Tony S. Daniel. Comics. 4.2.16. *****
24. Batman/Houdini: The Devil's Workshop by Howard Chaykin.  Comic. 4.7.16. **
25. From Hell by Alan Moore.  Comic. 4.8.16. ***
26. Batman #1 by Bob Cane. Comic. 4.9.16. ****
27.  The Nigger's Opera; or, The Darkie That Walked in Her Sleep by William Brough. Drama. 4.9.16. ***
28. The Gypsy Maid by William Brough. Drama. 4.10.16. **
29.  Beowulf trans. Seamus Heaney.  Anglo-Saxon. 4.14.16. *****
30. Lady Audley's Secret by Mary Elizabeth Braddon. Victorian. 4.17.16. *****
31. North and South by Elizabeth Gaskell. Victorian. 4.17.16. ***
32. 200+ Pages of Student Research Papers. Work. 4.21.16.
33. The Island of Doctor Moreau by H.G. Wells. Scientific Romance. 4.25.16. *****
34. Selections from A Question of Manhood Vol. 2 by various. Masculinity. 4.34.16. ****

35. Over 300 pages of student essays. Work. 5.3.15.
36. The Maiden Tribute of Modern Babylon by W.T. Stead. Journalism. 5.5.16. *****
37. Poetry selections from the Broadview Anthology by Various. Spring 2016. *****
38. Nonfiction selections from Victorian Prose and
Victorian Prose by various. Spring 2016. *****39. The Woman in White by Wilkie Collins. Victorian Gothic.  Spring 2016. ******
40. The Odd Women by George Gissing. Victorian Fiction. 5.6.16. ****
41. The God, The Bad, and the Emus by Donna Andrews. Cozy Mystery. 5.8.16. ***
42. The Nightingale Before Christmas by Donna Andrews. Cozy Mystery. 5.10.16. **1/2
43. Lord of the Wings by Donna Andrews. Cozy Mystery. 5.12.16. ***1/2
44. American Vampire by Scott Snyder, Rafael Albuquerque, and Stephen King. Graphic Novel. 5.12.16. ***1/2
45. Wytches by Scot Snyder, Joch, Hollingsworth, and Robins. Graphic Novel. 5.13.16. *****
46. Coffin Hill Volume 1 by Caitlin Kittredge. Graphic Novel. 5.13.16. ***1/2
47. The Astonishing X-Men by Joss Whedon. Graphic Novel. 5.18.16. ****
48. Instructions for American Servicemen in Britain, 1942 by the United States War Department. Historical Guide. 5.20.16. ****
49. Batman Year One by Frank Miller and David Mazzucchelli. Comic Books. 5.28.16. ****
50. A Discovery of Witches by Deborah Harkness. Fantasy. 5.2016. **
51. Extraordinary X-Men: X-Haven by Lemire and Ramos. Comics.  5.2016. **

52. The Bullet-Catcher's Daughter by Rod Duncan. Fantasy. 6.9.16. **
53. Amazing X-Men: The Quest for Nighcrawler by Jason Aaron. Comic. 6.17.16. ***
54. Batman: The Court of Owls by Scott Snyder. Comic. 6.18.2016. ****
55. Burial Rites by Hannah Kent. Historical Fiction. 6.0.16. *****
56. The G-String Murders by Gypsy Rose Lee. Pulp. 6.23.16. *****
57. Mother Finds a Body by Gypsy Rose Lee. Pulp. 6.25.16. ***
58. Sex Criminals: Vol. 1 by Matt Fraction. Comic. 6.27.16. ***
59. Lost Girls: Vol. 1 by Alan Moore. Graphic Novel. 6.16.16. ****
60. Lost Girls: Vol. 2 by Alan Moore. Graphic Novel. 6.17.16. ****

61. The Female Detective by Andrew Forrester. Detective Novel. 7.5.16. ***
62. Clean Room by Gail Simone. Graphic Novel. 7.6.16. *****
63. Flirt by Laurell K. Hamilton. Urban Fantasy. 7.10.16. **
64. Monstress by Marjorie Liu and Sana Takeda. Graphic Novel. 7.12.16. *****
65. Lost Girls: Vol. 3 by Alan More. Graphic Novel. 7.14.16. ***1/2
66. Hit List by Laurell K. Hamilton. Urban Fantasy. 7.12.16. *
67. Kiss the Dead by Laurell K. Hamilton. Urban Fantasy. 7.18.16. **
68. Affliction by Laurell K. Hamilton. Urban Fantasy. 7.25.16. ****
69. Dead Ice by Laurell K. Hamilton. Urban Fantasy. 7.28.16. ***

70. Batman: The City of Owls by Scott Snyder. Comic. 8.2.16. ***
71. The Joker: Endgame by Scott Snyder. Comic. 8.3.16. ******
72. Pretty Deadly by Kelly Sue Deconnick. Comic. 8.3.16. ***1/2
73. The Saga of the Swamp Thing by Alan Moore. Comic. 8.8.16. ***
74. 300 by Frank Miller. Comic. 8.9.16. ***
75. Catwoman: A Celebration of 75 Years by Frank Miller. Comic. 8.9.16. ***
76. Suicide Squad: Trial by Fire by John Ostrander. Comic. 8.2016. ****
77. The Perfect Gentleman: The Pursuit of Timeless Elegance and Style in London. by James Sherwood. Fashion History. 8.2016. ****

78. Suicide Squad: The Nightshade Odyssey by John Ostrander, Luke McDonnell, and Bob Lewis. Comic. 9.2.16. **
79. Gotham City Central: In the Line of Duty by Greg Rucka, Ed Brubaker. Comic 9.17.16. ****
80. Gotham City Central: Jokers and Madmen by Greg Rucka, Ed Brubaker. Comic. 9.19.16. ****
81. Catwoman: Selina's Big Score by Darwyn Cooke. Comic. 9.20.16. ***1/2
82. Catwoman: Vol. 1 Th Game by Judd Winick. Comic. 9.21.16. ***
83. Victorian Fashion by Jayne Shrimpton. Fashion History. 9.23.16. ***
84. Victoriana by James Laver. Material Culture, History. 9.25.16. ***

85. Dark Night by Paul Dini. Graphic Memoir. 10.2016. **
86. Fashioning Gothic Bodies by Catherine Spooner. Fashion and Literary Theory. 10.2016. *****
87. Dress Culture in Late Victorian Women's Fiction by Christine Bayles Kortsch. Fashion, Gender, and Literary Theory. 10.2016. *****

88. Hidden Destiny by Carrie Ann Ryan. Supernatural Romance. 11.2.16. ***
89. Tattered Loyalties by Carrie Ann Ryan. Supernatural Romance. 11.3.16. ***
90. Bodies by Si Spencer, et al. Graphic Novel. 11.4.16. ***
91. The Colour of Magic by Terry Pratchett. Fantasy. 11.7.16. ***
92. The Long Halloween by Jeoph Loeb. Comic. 11.8.16. ***1/2
93. The Light Fantastic by Terry Pratchett. Fantasy. 11.13.16. ***
94. Equal Rites by Terry Pratchett. Fantasy. 11.16.16. ****
95. Mort by Terry Pratchett. Fantasy. 11.17.16. *****
96. Sourcery by Terry Pratchett. Fantasy. 11.23.16. ***
97. Die Like an Eagle by Donna Andrews. Cozy Mystery. 11.25.16. ****
98. Wyrd Sisters by Terry Pratchett. Fantasy. 11.27.16. ****
99. Pyramids by Terry Pratchett. Fantasy. 11.29.16. ***

100. Guards! Guards! by Terry Pratchett. Fantasy. 12.7.16. *****
101. Eric by Terry Pratchett. Fantasy. 12.10.16. **
102. The Girl With All the Gifts by M.R. Carey. Science Fiction. **
103. The Bad Beginning by Lemony Snicket. Children's. 12.12.16. ****
104. Moving Pictures by Terry Pratchett. Fantasy. 12.18.16. ****
105. The Reptile Room by Lemony Snicket. Children's. 12,19.16. ****
106. Hyperbole and a Half by Allie Brosh. Graphic Memoir. 12.20.16. ****
107. A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens. Ghost Story. 12.22.16. *****
108. Reaper Man by Terry Pratchett. Fantasy. 12.29.2016. ****