Contents: a bunch of light novels, Even Though I Knew the End, Gideon the Ninth audiobook relisten.
Inspired by this twitter thread (https://twitter.com/ami_angelwings/status/1580866337236140032?t=L0dmBwIopJz2eDEdfw2rDA&s=19) about an anime called Management of a Novice Alchemist, I ended up going back to I Spent 300 Years Killing Slimes and Maxed Out My Level, and that in turn reminded me about the newest volume of The Saint's Magic Power is Omnipotent.
If Novice Alchemist is a story about a libertarian who invents and justifies for-profit healthcare, then 300 Years Killing Slimes is a fantasy about freedom from labour under capitalism. It positions the protagonist in a dream world where she can meet her own needs and the needs of her community without fear of death, suffering or exploitation.
Unfortunately, this still doesn't mean I enjoy reading it. :/ Some of that is that it leans a little too much into a very anime type "uguuu cute girls doing cute things" that I find incredibly grating. There's also something about the moment to moment writing style that just doesn't grab me. I can't quite put my finger on why, but it's happened with every volume I've tried, and that's enough to make me the fool in this scenario.
In contrast, I really don't like the politics of Saint's Magic Power, but it's undeniably a more engaging book. And since the thing I don't like about its politics is that it refuses to have any, I can ignore that enough while I'm reading to mostly have fun with the characters. I do still think the idea that Sei gets transported to a world where no one before her has ever, EVER come up with the idea of adding herbs to food when cooking so stupid as to be embarrassing. Anyway Saint's Magic Power has reached the protracted stage a lot of popular light novels get to where they refuse to advance any of the core plots and just come up with tiresome side bullshit for the heroes to do, so I think I'm probably done with it for the future too.
And then because those were frustrating experiences I read one more light novel, in hopes of finding something better. The Drab Princess, The Black Cat and the Satisfying Break Up wasn't terrible, but it was just about as frustrating as the other two. For one thing, it only fulfilled the first two parts of its title. There was no satisfying break up, and actually there was a lot of wallowing. Also, the first volume is the only one translated. I guess it didn't do very well.
Anyway, that fiiiiiinally cured me of this round of the light novel bug, so I went back on to other kinds of books. I read Even Though I Knew The End the day it came out, and it was splendid. 10/10,no notes. CL Polk is definitely in my always read category, but this was just so good. It's a novella that mixes noir with demons and angels, and I loved how it mixed together the noir voice, the magic, and a lot of good queer history. It feels like it could have a sequel, but if it didn't I wouldn't be sad, the ending was complete as is. I do wonder if the 2005 Constantine film was an inspiration, they have an oddly specific similar energy.
I've also been relistening to Gideon the Ninth. Good book! I'm gonna go through that and Harrow and then buy and listen to Nona (having already read it book style once). Those audio books are pure pleasure for me, because Moira Quirk is just so good. You should give em a try!
Up next: I've got two horror novels I meant to read in October and didn't get around to, Dead Silence and The Hacienda. Also The Undertaking Of Hart and Mercy and The Stars Are Legion. We'll see how I do.