ETA: Knew I was forgetting something. Happy birthday, paleaswater. Congratulations and, uhh, congratulations. (Is technically the 4th now, but it's the thought that counts.)

Serendipity a few weeks back found me a copy of Mythago Wood. (I was looking for Quarrelling They Met the Dragon, and found that too, and started it, and... some day I'll do an entry about why I don't like sf intruding on my fantasy. If you've got a perfectly good fantasy culture, I prefer it left a perfectly good fantasy culture. My heart sinks when the author introduces space ships and underground computer centres where the Earthmen are controlling the planet and its inhabitants as part of some experiment or anthropological study or whatever. For one thing, Leguin apart, the Earthmen are invariably white, usually men, and nowhere near as interesting as the 'aliens' on the planet.)

But anyway I'm reading Mythago Wood. And finding it oppressive in undefined ways. I'm hoping he won't send it to hell in a handbasket with the romantic plot, but...

Also finished Mushishi 1 in English. It makes no more sense than in Japanese. Less, actually. Am almost finished my Beautiful Green Palace, a very fast Ima Ichiko, nice enough but...

However when this cough medicine reading is over, I have an anthology of pseudo-Chinese / silk road manga, with Ima Ichiko, Akino Matsuri, and the woman who does Konron no Tama. And the last story in vol 2 of Phantom Moon Tower. Roll on the weekend.