From the back cover: Hyoue Inugami is a lot older than he looks—500 years older, to be exact. Long before he became Amane's loyal guardian, this demon dog served another master. He wasn't alone in his duties, however. The sorcerer Kaiso kept two guardians—Hyoue and Zakuro. Now, after centuries of separation, Zakuro is back. The sprightly demon child says he'd like nothing more … [Read more...] about Her Majesty’s Dog 2 by Mick Takeuchi: B+
Shortcomings by Adrian Tomine: B
From the front flap: Ben Tanaka has problems. In addition to being rampantly critical, sarcastic, and insensitive, his long-term relationship is awash in turmoil. His girlfriend, Miko Hayashi, suspects that Ben has a wandering eye, and more to the point, it's wandering in the direction of white women. This accusation (and its various implications) becomes the subject of heated, … [Read more...] about Shortcomings by Adrian Tomine: B
A, A’ by Moto Hagio: B+
Back in the late ’90s, Viz dabbled in this weird thing called “shojo manga” and released a few one-shot volumes. A, A’ (A, A Prime), a collection of science fiction stories, was among these, and (lamentably) represents the largest chunk of material from Moto Hagio available in this country. Hagio, along with many other women who were pioneers of shojo manga, was born in 1949. … [Read more...] about A, A’ by Moto Hagio: B+
The Franchise Affair by Josephine Tey: A-
Book description The Franchise Affair resembles some of the best work of Poe in its introduction of an apparently inhuman evil in an otherwise sedate country setting. Robert Blair, a lawyer who prides himself on his ability to avoid work of any significance, is interrupted one evening by a phone call from Marion Sharpe. Ms. Sharpe and her mother live in a run-down estate known … [Read more...] about The Franchise Affair by Josephine Tey: A-
Lovers and Souls by Kano Miyamoto: B-
Lovers and Souls is comprised of the 100-page title story, two additional shorter stories relating to it, and two stories about a different couple. “Lovers and Souls” was my favorite of the bunch. It’s the story of Shinomiya, a beautiful art student with a fondness for cash and an ambivalent attitude about what happens to his body, and Matsuoka, an openly gay photographer who … [Read more...] about Lovers and Souls by Kano Miyamoto: B-