Deep Secret by Diana Wynne Jones

Rupert Venables is the magid (assigned magician/guardian) of Earth, and assigned the task of locating the heir of the recently deceased Koryfonic Emperor. This is a task made ridiculously difficult by layers and layers of secrets and codes, resulting in Rupert arranging for all the possible heirs to attend a fantasy convention so he can have them all in one place. Accompanying him are the ghost of his mentor and his ridiculously good looking neighbor, Andrew, who seems determined to tag along. Among the possible heirs are Maree and Nick, the niece and son of the convention’s guest of honor, who Rupert recently met disastrously.

I haven’t been to many conventions (specifically, I’ve been to one convention twice) but this is a very entertaining depiction of one. Rupert is something of a jerk, but a largely likable one, and I’m exceptionally fond of Maree’s bitterness. Many of the characters and their motivations and explanations make me want to cock my head to the side in the hopes that they’ll be more sensible that way, but it’s largely best to just go along for the ride and assume it will all come to a natural conclusion.

It’s a very entertaining ride, if a sometimes confusing one.

globules of liquid lava

Viatelophase .

Badfic writer from the turn of the 20th century.

"Speak! Irene! Wife! Woman! Do not sit in silence and allow the blood that now boils in my veins to ooze through cavities of unrestrained passion and trickle down to drench me with its crimson hue!"

"had a swell staff of sweet-faced helpers swathed in stratagem, whose members and garments glowed with the lust of the loose, sparkled with the tears of the tortured, shone with the sunlight of bribery, dangled with the diamonds of distrust, slashed with sapphires of scandals...."

The Mask of Atreus by A. J. Hartley

After museum curator Deborah Miller receives a mysterious phone call, she finds the body of the museum’s proprietor in a secret room filled with Greek artifacts. After a series of threatening events, she flees to Greece in hopes of getting to the root of the problem. Much of the plot is comprised of a series of twists involving Greek archeology trivia, WWII secrets, Nazi plots, an exceptionally well-preserved corpse, and possibly priceless artifacts, with some interesting bits on race thrown in.

Largely, it’s a lot of fun, all of which is spoilery, but there’s one plotline that really irritated me.

( spoiler )

But Deborah does a pretty good job of repeatedly saving herself just fine, so I almost forgave Hartley for that.

(no subject)

Headed out to the parents' after work, and then  off to the coast early tomorrow morning for my cousin's graduation.  I'll be back sometime on Sunday.  Try not to do anything interesting while I'm gone.