It’s Monday! What are you reading?

The Undead Pool by Kim Harrison
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Rachel Morgan is the only day-walking demon. She’s just starting to come to terms with living as a demon when a series of magical mysteries hit Cincinnati. First of all waves of magical misfires cause harmless spells to become incredibly powerful and dangerous. The waves also seem to be following her. Then all the master vampires fall asleep and the vampires under their control in the city suddenly have no one stopping them from wreaking havoc. With law enforcement breaking down, it may be up to Rachel and her friends to figure out why this all happening.

This is the 12th book in The Hollows series. I listened to this one on audio because I like the series and I wanted the book to last longer than if I was reading it. The author used this book to change the direction of several of the established characters in the series. I liked that. (Possible spoilers ahead) Ivy, Rachel’s vampire best friend and former tough girl, spent most of the book being described as sobbing or crying or some other emotional crap. I don’t like emotionally crippled female characters, especially when they are vampires. Vampires should be tough. I was pleased that it seems by the end of the book that she’s moving on. She was getting pretty extraneous to the series. Other characters are moving into new roles. I was pretty convinced that someone important was going to die (I wasn’t sure who) but no one did. I think this shakeup could breathe new life into the series.

Sir Apropos of Nothing by Peter David
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

How does the deformed son of a small town prostitute end up saving a kingdom? Mostly through trying to avoid heroics of any kind and accidentally doing the knightly thing anyway.

Apropos hates knights ever since he found out the circumstances of his conception. When his mother is murdered he sets out to get justice at the court of the King. He doesn’t get justice but he does get a job as a squire to the most senile and inept knight in the kingdom. His life just keeps getting worse from there.

I liked Apropos because he is smart and sarcastic and hates the idea of honor. He sees himself as selfish and greedy and always out to save his own skin but occasionally glimpses of a hero shine through against his will.