Fables, vols 6-8
Having read the climactic eleventh volume before the Hugos, I have been catching up with the volumes in between.
August Books 13) Fables vol 6: Homelands, by Bill Willingham
Again a decent romp, mostly about Litte Boy Blue's solo raid deep into the Adversary's domain, with the final revelation of who the Adversary actually is.
August Books 14) Fables vol 7: Arabian Nights (and Days), by Bill Willingham
londonkds had warned me, and he was right: the series goes seriously off the rails here, with some very dodgy Arab stereotyping, dubious references to the Iraq invasion, and a plot twist that is not very credibile even in the context of the series ("I changed the words that came out of his mouth, even though I don't speak his language"). I got it for completeness but I think it can be skipped.
August Books 15) Fables vol 8: Wolves, by Bill Willingham
This was not so bad, though again I found the politics rather dodgy and it seems to be getting easier and easier to penetrate the Adversary's domain. Lots of quite good character moments, rather stalling on plot. Also rather thin - only four issues of the comic here, bulked out by maps and the script for one of the issues.
So I'll probably stick with these, but the earlier volumes were better.
August Books 13) Fables vol 6: Homelands, by Bill Willingham
Again a decent romp, mostly about Litte Boy Blue's solo raid deep into the Adversary's domain, with the final revelation of who the Adversary actually is.
August Books 14) Fables vol 7: Arabian Nights (and Days), by Bill Willingham
londonkds had warned me, and he was right: the series goes seriously off the rails here, with some very dodgy Arab stereotyping, dubious references to the Iraq invasion, and a plot twist that is not very credibile even in the context of the series ("I changed the words that came out of his mouth, even though I don't speak his language"). I got it for completeness but I think it can be skipped.
August Books 15) Fables vol 8: Wolves, by Bill Willingham
This was not so bad, though again I found the politics rather dodgy and it seems to be getting easier and easier to penetrate the Adversary's domain. Lots of quite good character moments, rather stalling on plot. Also rather thin - only four issues of the comic here, bulked out by maps and the script for one of the issues.
So I'll probably stick with these, but the earlier volumes were better.