Latest Reads from the Local Library

Here's what I've checked out lately .

Be Prepared by Vera Brosgol

This is a charming graphic novel about a young girl heading off to Russian camp for the summer. It's a quick read and reminded me a fair bit of things that happened to me growing up. Mostly it's about that weird feeling of not really fitting in, but then at some point realizing you don't care and that fitting in maybe isn't everything it's sold as. So you find your own niche and get comfortable in it. I originally picked this up to evaluate if it was something for my kids to read this summer, but I think they're not quite ready yet. I would think this is more middle school appropriate.

Batman: Hush by Jeph Loeb, Jim Lee, and Scott Williams

I previously posted about this story arc here, and felt somewhat ambivalent about it. But it turns out I had only read volume 1 of this collection. Pictured here is the omnibus edition which contains volumes 1 and 2. Taking the series as whole, my opinion of it is greatly improved after having read volume 2. The latter half of the story is better paced and forms a more cohesive story. I get now why people like this, but I still wouldn't say it's better than The Long Halloween.

Of Dice and Men by David M. Ewalt

This was the only non-sourcebook RPG related book that my library had, so I figured it was worth a shot. I didn't really care for this too much. It gave what seemed like an abbreviated history of D&D, but also spent a lot of time talking about pilgrimages that the author made: a LARP event, a wargaming convention, the old offices of TSR. I guess I was expecting and would have wanted more time spent on the culture and the people who play, not just this guy's game group. If anyone has any recommendations for better RPG related books, I'd be interested.

Daredevil: Born Again by Frank Miller and David Mazzucchelli

This arc has a special place in my history with comics. I read it when I first started getting into comics and have reread it every few years since. I honestly believe it still holds up. I don't think I still enjoy it solely for nostalgic reasons, though I suppose that is a possibility. I think it's a pretty classic tale of having your life as you know it ripped away from you and having to fight to reclaim it. And it's expertly told. I'd highly recommend checking it out. This particular collection is a good starting point, but I'd definitely recommend reading the issues that came after this. This was a pivotal time for Daredevil, and the effects of the story arc were felt for years afterward.