Shalee lhaih 2013: Shiaghtin 52

Jerrey nah hiaghtin jeih as daeed ny Shallee Lhaih. Shoh ny lhiah mee yn çhiaghtin shoh chaie:

China's Traditional Kunqu Opera (Zheng Lei)

Ghow mee y lioar nastee shoh ayns thie çhaghteraght Heenagh Vanchuin bleeantyn er dy henney. She coontey jeh drama tradishoonagh "kunqu" t'ayn. Cha nel monney anaase aym er opera as y lheid, shegin dou gra, agh ghow mee beggan soylley jee. T'ee gaa-insh reddyn, er lhiam, as ta beggan ourys aym mychione kuse dy aggyrtyn t'aynjee: "gyn scansh da'n ynsaght oc, ny vuitçhoor ny ny eirinagh, dod cagh goaill arraneyn Kunqu dys y notey hene" as y lheid, wahll cha noddym credjal shen er chor erbee, gyn çheet er ny caghlaaghyn cultoor as çhengey t'ayn 'sy Çheen. Agh t'ee mie dy liooar.

Trysor o'r Dyfnder (Geraint W. Parry)

Rere aght Alastair Mclean, aght gyn blass ard-haghyrtys James Bond hug blass aitt er kuse dy lioaryn liorishyn. She skeeal so-chredjal contoyrtyssyn t'ayn, as son y chooid smoo t'eh croghey er aigh falleil deiney tra t'ad scapail gaue. She karracteyryn neuchramp v'ayn, agh shen yn aght cadjin ayns lheid y skeeal. Va'n skeeal hene as ny haghyr baghtal dy liooar, as ga dy dynsee mee y Vretnish (as ta mee foast gynsaghey) va'n aght screeuee fondagh as baghtal dy liooar nagh by ghoillee dou eh toiggal y skeeal. Lioar 'ondagh trooid as trooid.

Va daa ayrn ayn nagh by vie lhiam. Hoshiaght, hie yn ard-charracteyr er keishtey dy broutagh ec y reiltys Goaldagh as cha hirr eh cooilleen erbee son shen, dy jarroo, ren eh co-obbraghey maroo gyn scuirr erbee choud's hoig mee y skeeal. As eisht, va gaue egin er y ven gyn feme. Ta mee toiggal dy vel shen cadjin, agh va gaue baaish mie dy liooar hannah, er lhiam. Bare lhiam gyn y lheid.

Ga dy dug ad dou daa lioar noa myr gioot Nollick, er lhiam dy vel mee sauçhey nish!

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The end of week fifty-two of the Reading Project. Here's what I've read this week:

China's Traditional Kunqu Opera (Zheng Lei)

I picked this up in the Chinese embassy in Manchester a few years back. It's an account of traditional "kunqu" opera. I'm not really into opera and stuff, but theatre is a bit interesting, and I had a reasonable time flicking through this. It feels a bit repetitive at times, and I'm a bit sceptical of some of their claims, like "everyone from butchers to farmers, regardless of their level of education, could sing famous Kunqu arias note for note" which just seems highly unlikely, especially given the massive cultural variance across what is now China. But it's alright.

Trysor o'r Dyfnder (Geraint W. Parry)

In the Alastair Mclean line, but without the touches of James Bond melodrama that made some of those ridiculous. A relatively plausible thriller tale, relying mostly on chance and human error for the close escapes, and with a pretty believable plotline. The characters were two-dimensional but adequate, the plot and events were clear, and the writing was efficient and clear enough even for a learner like me. A perfectly decent book on the whole. There were two sections I didn't especially care for: the protagonist being brutally interrogated by the British, and the love interest threatened with rape. The first is entirely likely, but I'd have liked some comeback rather than continued loyalty to those same officials. The second just felt unnecessary, as it basically always does - the death threats were fine, thanks.

Despite getting two books for Christmas, I should still be in the clear.

Shalee lhaih 2013: Shiaghtin 51

Jerrey kied shiaghtin jeih as daeed ny Shallee Lhaih. Faggys jeant! Shoh ny lhiah mee yn çhiaghtin shoh chaie:

The Little Grey Men ("BB")

Skeeal meein as taitnyssagh bentyn rish kuse dy Vooinjer Veggey (ny fir s'jerree ayns Sostyn) ta goll er turrys rish yn awin dys shirrey braar t'er ny choayl. Rere aght "BB", ta'n skeeal lane dy chooishyn as reayrtyssyn najooragh, as ta'n ghraih echey er y teihll najooragh ry-akin dy baghtal. Ga dy nee skeeal paitçhyn t'ayn dy jarroo, ghow mee soylley jeh. Ta blass feie nagh vel ry-akin ayns skeealyn paitçhyn jeianagh dy mennick: ta'n jee Pan ayn, ta'n Vooinjer Veggey marroo fer, as t'ee çheet ny keayrtyn er y doilleeid t'ayn tra ta cretooryn feie caarjyn ga dy vel ad gee y cheilley.

As lesh lhaih y lioar shen, ta'n carnane lioaragh giarrit sheese dys 50! T'eh cooilleenit aym! Barriaght!

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The end of week fifty-one of the Reading Project. So close! Here's what I've read this week:

The Little Grey Men ("BB")

A gentle and enjoyable story about the last few gnomes in England, who go on a journey upstream to find their missing brother. As usual with "BB", there's a heavy dose of natural sights and sounds throughout the book, depicting a world he cared about. There are also some harsh realities that you don't tend to see in more recent children's books, and a taste of wild fierceness that John Masefield or Saki might have approved - Pan makes his appearance, the contradition of wild creatures being friends and yet predators is touched on, and the protagonists actually kill someone.

Y Scaa Harrish Innsmouth: Goan Foslee

Rish geurey 1927-28, chooilleen fir-oik y reiltys Conastagh ronsaghey quaagh as folliaghtagh er shiartanse dy chooishyn 'sy çhenn phurt Innsmouth ayns Massachusetts. Ayns Toshiaght Arree, haink eh dys geill y theay kyndagh rish kuse dy hoiaghyn oikoil foawragh. Ghow ad mooarane cummaltee, as eisht - lesh kiarail cooie - losht ny vleayst ad ymmodee shenn thieyn rish çheu ny marrey. She shenn thieyn tholtanagh v'ayn, as lieh-loau, as ad follym dy baghtal. Cha ghow sleih neuvriaghtagh monney tastey jeh, son b'leayr daue dy nee co-streeu elley 'sy chaggey liggar meereiltagh v'ayn.

Ta sleih elley cur geill s'geyrey da'n naight, as ghow adsyn yindys er y vonney va goit, er y niart quaagh dy gheiney ghow ayrn ayns ny soiaghyn, as er yn aght keiltagh skell ny pryssoonee rish. Cha daink coontey erbee jeh cooish leigh, ny cassid noadyr; chamoo va cappagh erbee jeu ry-akin ayns pryssoon cadjin. Haink coontyssyn neuvaghtal mychione gorley as sleih-champyn, as eisht dy jagh ad er rheynn eddyr pryssoonyn caggee, agh cha daink rieau fys fondagh er y chooish. Va Innsmouth faagit gyn pobble, bunnys, as eer nish cha nel eh gaavioghey agh beggan moal er veggan.

Tra hug stiagh ny sheshaghtyn libraalagh accan er y chooish, hie ad er cuirrey dys coloayrtyssyn folliaghtagh, as shilley y chur er shiartanse dy champyn as pryssoonyn er lheh. Myr eiyrtys, haink ny sheshaghtyn shen dy ve tost as surransagh erskyn cliaghtey. Va ny fir-naight ny s'doillee dy stiurey, agh fy-yerrey ren ad lhiggey lesh y reiltys. Cha nee agh un pabyr-naight baghtagh screeu er fovooirane dowin lhiegg torpaid sheese 'sy çharvaal marrey rish Sker y Jouyll; as ta'n theay jannoo beg jehsyn, son ta sheiltynys raghtal echey. Hooar ad y meer shen dy taghyrtagh ayns thie lhionney marrinagh, as dy jarroo, v'eh ommidjagh dy liooar, son ta'n sker doo injil hene meeilley dy lieh jeh purt Innsmouth.

Va sleih ny çheerey as ny baljyn faggys jee tutleragh nyn mast’ocsyn, agh cha dinsh ad monney da’n teihll smoo. Nagh row adsyn er goloayrt er Innsmouth loau lieh-treigit rish lieh cheead? Cha dod noanid erbee ve ny s’keoie ny ny s’graney na ny v’adsyn er ngra myr sannish ny myr faaue rish bleeantyn. Shimmey red v’er nyn ynsaghey dy ve fastagh; cha row feme erbee nish dy hionn orroo. Aghterbee, cha row agh beggan beg fys oc, son ta curree hailjey 'adaneagh as follym feayn cumrail naboonee jeh Innsmouth er y çheu thallooin.

Agh fy-yerrey neeym’s brishey y sarey tostid t’er y chooish shoh. Ta mee lane shickyr dy daink lesh yn obbyr, do nagh jig arragh assee ny smessey na greain graynoil, my verrym sannish jeh ny hug feoh er ny soiagheryn ayns Innsmouth. As dy jarroo, ta soilsheydys elley ry-gheddyn son ny hooar ad, foddee. Cha s’aym cre wheesh jeh’n lane skeeal t’er ny insh eer dooys, as ta ymmodee oyryn my lhiettal veih ronsaghey dowin. Va mee tayrnit stiagh y chooish shoh ny s’diuney na theayagh erbee elley, as ta’n chummaght jee foast my vroddey dys couyr barbagh.

She mish roie er çhea ass Innsmouth ayns jerrey ny h-oie er Jerrey Souree 16, 1927 as mish er rouyl. She mish hug aghin aggleydagh da’n reiltys, shirrey ronsaghey as jantys, as hug er bun ooilley ny haink dys geill y theay. Va mee arryltagh dy hannaghtyn my host tra va’n chooish aw as neuhickyr; agh she shenn skeeal t’ayn nish, ass anaase as smooinaght chadjin. Nish ta mian quaagh aym dy loayrt – myr sannish, foast – er ny h-ooryn agglagh shid ‘sy çhenn phurt drogh-ennymagh, fo scaa olk as mastey baase as meechummaghyn anchasherick. Ta insh hene cooney lhiam treishtey reesht dy vel m’aigney sunt; nagh row mee jus y chied ass ymmodee goit ec branlaadys goaillagh scoaghagh. As t’eh cooney lhiam foast jannoo briwnys mychione currym atçhimagh ta foym.

(...ny smoo ry-heet...)

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Ass The Shadow over Innsmouth liorish H.P. Lovecraft.

Shalee lhaih 2013: Shiaghtin 50

Jerrey jeihoo hiaghtin as daeed ny Shallee Lhaih. Ta'n traa aym goan dy liooar nish! Shoh ny lhiah mee yn çhiaghtin shoh chaie:

Roman Chester (T. J. Strickland)

Ny coontey beg jeh shennaghys Romanagh yn Çhaayr. Myr t'eh gra, cha nel eh fo Strickland cur lane choontey, agh soilshaghey poyntyn scanshoil 'sy çhennaghys shen as ny h-oyryn fys t'ain orroo. Lhaih mee y lioar veg shoh rish un traa kirbylagh. T'ee anaasoil dy liooar son y vooadys t'eck (my ta enney ayd er y Çhaayr, ansherbee). Lioar veg 'ondagh. T'ee cleayney rish scoillarys amateyragh ny smoo na ynsaghey theay, myr shen cha nel ee son paitçhyn as y lheid.

African History: a very short introduction (John Parker)

Ny coontey beg jeh shennaghys ny h-Affrick. As shen cooish 'oawragh, ta'n lioar beggan quaagh. Ta mysh lieh jee bentyn rish y çhennaghys hene, as lieh elley loayrt mychione studeyrys shennaghys 'syn Affrick, c'red ta'n Affrick, c'red ta shennaghys ny h-Affrick, mychione sheiltnyssyn shennaghyssagh as yn aght hyndaa adsyn rish ny h-eashyn, as myr shen. Er y fa shen, ga dy row ee anaasoil, dennee mee dy row blass kayagh er y lioar; cha dod mee geddyn greim urree aght ennagh.

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The end of week fifty of the Reading Project. Time's ticking away... Here's what I've read this week:

Roman Chester (T. J. Strickland)

A brief account of Roman history in Chester. As Strickland says, he's making no attempt to give a full acount, but just touch on some of the highlights and our sources of information for historical claims. I read this in a single lunchtime. It's interesting enough considering its size, at least if you're familiar with Chester. A decent little book, with a more scholastic than popular bent, so not really one for the kids.

African History: a very short introduction (John Parker)

A short account of African history. That being a massive topic, the book ends up a bit strange. It's partly about the history itself, and partly about historical theory and practice. It discusses what "Africa" means, and "African History"; historical theories that have come and gone about these ideas and about Africa, and how they interact with its cultural and political change over time. Because of that, although the book's reasonably interesting, I didn't really feel like I had a grip on it; it was a bit like fighting fog.

Shalee lhaih 2013: Shiaghtin 49

Jerrey nuyoo hiaghtin as daeed ny Shallee Lhaih. Shoh ny lhiah mee yn çhiaghtin shoh chaie. Va mee son seiy roym son nagh vel monney lioaryn ry-lhaih dys roshtyn y dean, agh haink feayraght hrome agglagh orrym as cha dod mee jannoo monney agh tannaghtyn my lhie as clashtyn rish creelaghyn-fynneigagh rish kuse dy laaghyn:

The Moons of Jupiter (Isaac Asimov)

Skeeal Lucky Starr elley, ny cooish 'olliaghtagh oaylleeagh bentyn rish peeikearys er eayst Yupiter. Ga dy vel contoyrtyssyn aynjee, son y chooid smoo ta'n lioar mychione eabyn Starr y chooish y 'eaysley, as shen liorish ynsaghey ny Leighyn Robotagh erskyn ooilley. Ghow mee ram soylley jeh as mish my lhie nane as y floo aym.

Kionnit er y gherrid:

Genshiken Second Season y.l. 2 (Kio Shimoku)

Skeeal anaasoil as taitnyssagh elley. By vie lhiam fakin ad cur tastey da Madarame reesht. 'Sy chied straih, v'eh beggan thanney, as s'mie lhiam fakin ben goaill anaase ayn. Chammah's shen, er lhiam dy bee shuyr veg Hasahara scanshoil 'sy traa ry-heet. Ta kiangley cramp gaase eddyr Madarame as karracteyryn elley, as ta mee jeeaghyn roym dy 'eddyn magh ny haghyrys.

No Matter How I Look At It, It's You Guys' Fault I'm Not Popular y.l. 1 (Nico Tanigawa)

Hug ynnyd-eggey ennagh coyrle dou dy by vie lhiam y lioar shoh kyndagh rish lioaryn elley by vie lhiam. S'orroosyn y foill, myr shen. Cha noddym gra dy nee lioar vie t'ayn er chor erbee. Ta'n "skeeal" bentyn rish inneen t'er geau rouyr traa cloie gammanyn as lhaih skeealyn graih geekagh, agh veg marish sleih elley; myr shen rish roshtyn 15 d'eash as yn ard-scoill, cha nel schlei erbee eck dy gheddyn caarjyn erbee. Lhisagh eh ve ny skeeal aitt, gyn ourys, agh s'treih lhiam gra nagh ren mee gearey un cheayrt; dy jarroo, chamoo cha ren mee mynghearey un cheayrt noadyr. Er y fa nagh vel caarjyn erbee eck, cha nel kianglaghyn persoonagh erbee ry-akin agh marish braar s'aegey, as cha nel eh ceau traa maree gyn feme. Cha nel coraa ny coraa aigney ny h-inneen anaasoil ny aitt. Ta'n ellyn, son y chooid smoo, jus caslyssyn jee jannoo dreaghyn quaagh son t'ee er creau ny keoie car y traa - cha nel reayrtyssyn aalin ny lane vree ry-akin. Ta Tanigawa croo cooishyn oddagh ve anaasoil ny trimsagh - myr sampleyr, yn inneen çhemmit ayns thie bee rish possan dy cho-ynseydee çheet stiagh as ish son scapail - as feaysley ad gyn y nah vlass ny'n blass elley. Schlei feer ghoan, dy jarroo. Voir eh orrym, er y fa dy dennee mee dy row ad er çhee cooilleeney red ennagh mie dy mennick, agh hie ad shaghey. Son ymmyrkey yn inneen, cha nod oo goaill ree myr inneen 'aitagh; ta çhingys sheshoil ennagh urree ny t'ee ass e keeayll, as cha nel y lheid bun cooie son spotçhal. Dy beagh eh er nyannoo skeeal trome-chooishagh jeh, foddee dy beagh eh mie; agh cha ren eh.

Cha neeu ee. Gyn çheet er kionnaghey, cha neeu ee dy lhaih. My t'ou son lhaih er aegidee gyn schlei sheshoil, lhaih Oreimo ny Haganai ny Genshiken.

Prince Ivan (Peter Morwood)

Ghow mee toshiaght lhaih shoh. Ta daa doilleeid ayn: 1) cha row ee er y rolley son v'ee ayns thie my ayr as my voir, ga dy chreid mee dy beagh ee er y rolley; 2) ta 60 duillag er coayl as mean ny lioar. Cha nel ad giarrit ny caillt, cha row ad rieau aynjee, s'baghtal shen. Quaagh agglagh. Agh by vie lhiam ny lhaih mee jee!

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The end of week forty-nine of the Reading Project. Here's what I've read this week. It's less than I'd hoped, seeing the goal's so close, but I was struck down by a particularly vicious virus that left me basically prostrate for a few days and unable to do much but listen to podcasts:

The Moons of Jupiter (Isaac Asimov)

Another Lucky Starr story, another scientific mystery. This one involves scientific espionage on the moons of Jupiter (obviously). Although a few adventure bits creep in, it's mostly about Starr's attempts to track down the spy as subtly as possible, largely by probing the Laws of Robotics. Asimov puts in plenty of general astronomy for background and general coolness, though. I enjoyed reading this as a distraction from lying helpless with flu.

And the inevitable new acquisitions:

Genshiken Second Season v. 2 (Kio Shimoku)

Skeeal anaasoil as taitnyssagh elley. By vie lhiam fakin ad cur tastey da Madarame reesht. 'Sy chied straih, v'eh beggan thanney, as s'mie lhiam fakin ben goaill anaase ayn. Chammah's shen, er lhiam dy bee shuyr veg Hasahara scanshoil 'sy traa ry-heet. Ta kiangley cramp gaase eddyr Madarame as karracteyryn elley, as ta mee jeeaghyn roym dy 'eddyn magh ny haghyrys.

No Matter How I Look At It, It's You Guys' Fault I'm Not Popular v. 1 (Nico Tanigawa)

Some website or other recommended this on the basis of other stuff I'd read, which means it's all their fault. I can't say this is a good book by any stretch of the imagination. The "story", such as it is, is about a teenage girl starting high school without any social skills or friends, having misspent her youth playing niche games and reading unconvincing romances. This is intended to be a basis for comedy, but I have to say I neither laughed nor even smiled once. Because she doesn't have any friends, the book can't spend time covering her relationships, except briefly with a little brother who doesn't want anything to do with this weirdo. Neither the girl's actual voice, nor her internal monologue, are insightful or amusing; there are flashes of believable teenaged thought, but this is drowned out by manic thoughts that leap about wildly.

The art, for the most part, is images of the girl grimacing and sweating - almost every single panel, in fact. There are no impressive vistas here, and the art didn't feel particularly lively or interesting to me. Tanigawa sets up what could be interesting or tragic situations (such as the girl being trapped in a restaurant when schoolmates come in, and desperate to escape without them seeing) but then manages to resolve them in ways that largely avoid both options. It's frustrating because it often felt like the hovered on the edge of being good, but weren't able to find expression. The girl's behaviour isn't convincing as teenage awkwardness, but so extreme that (in the absence of genuine humour) it felt far more like serious anxiety disorder or some other mental health problem, not an appropriate subject for wacky humour of the kind Tanigawa was attempting. It could have made a decent serious story, but didn't.

Not worth reading, let alone buying. If you want to read about socially-awkward teenagers, read... well, just about anything, but I'd recommend Oreimo (convincing) or Haganai (amusing) or Genshiken (generally great).

Prince Ivan (Peter Morwood)

I started reading this, but there were two issues. 1) it turned out not to be on the list, on account of being at my parents' house (my list is wildly inconsistent in this matter); 2) there's a chunk of 60 pages missing exactly where the major plot kicks off, ruining the book. They're not torn out or anything, it's a printing error that's impossible to spot from the cover or anything. Very weird. I'll want to chase down another copy later though, as I was really enjoying it.

Shalee lhaih 2013: Shiaghtin 48

Jerrey hoghtoo hiaghtin as daeed ny Shallee Lhaih. Shoh ny lhiah mee yn çhiaghtin shoh chaie:

Pam fi eto, Duw? (John Owen)

Eiyrtyssagh da "Pam fi, Duw, pam fi?" as ny smoo 'syn aght cheddin. Er lhiam dy vel y lioar shoh ny sloo trimsagh, agh t'eh foast bentyn rish cooishyn crampey as doillee da ny sleih aegey. Ta aght screeuee as aigney Rhys foast so-chredjal myr gilley ta çheet dy ve ny dooinney aeg, as eshyn leaystey eddyr appeeys, ennaghtyn as boghtynid kiart gollrish mish as my chaarjyn 'syn eash cheddin (ga nagh row shin loayrt 'sy Vretnish ny smooinaghtyn er y chooish shen monney moadyr).

Ghow mee soylley jeh, agh v'eh beggan moal ny keayrtyn, as dennee mee dy row eh beggan ro-liauyr.

Chammah's shen, shegin dou gra nagh vel mian aym John Owen y lhaih reesht erreish dou feddyn magh ny loghtyn jeant echey. S'treih shen.

As kuse nagh vel ass y charnane, chionnee mee ad er y gherrid:

Azumanga Daiaoh Omnibus (Azuma Kiyohiko)

Lioar 'oawragh, agh cha row ee foawragh dy liooar, son lhaih mee ish ayns laa ny ghaa. Ta'n lioar shoh çhaglym scheimyn aittey 4-kerrinagh ren skeealeenyn beggey. Gollrish ymmodee mangaghyn elley ta bentyn rish cooishyn laa, t'ee mychione inneenyn scoill. She aitt meein neuchramp t'ayn, as ghow mee ram soylley jee. Cha kuse jeu ny share na kuse elley, agh shen cadjin dy liooar ayns reddyn aittey; t'eh jus croghey er yn aittys t'ayd.

Aqua y.l. 2 (Amano Kozue)

Ren mee jarrood ee; lhaih mee y lioar shoh shiaghteeyn er dy henney. She skeeal elley meein t'ayn, gyn monney taghyrt agh taitnyssagh dy liooar ny yei shen.

The disappearance of Nagato Yuki-Chan y.l. 2 (Tanigawa Nagaru)

Ta'n skeeal shoh beggan laccal taghyrtyn; son y chooid smoo cha nel monney ayn agh yn ard-charracteyr ve nearagagh bentyn rish gilley s'mooar lhee eshyn. Er lhiam dy vel eh croghey rouyr (wahll, rouyr dooys) er y skeeal elley t'eh bunnit er, shen straih cramp Haruhi Suzumiya nagh vel mee er ny lhaih. Cha b'olk lhiam eh, agh er lhiam nagh vel eh feeu dou lhaih ny smoo.

I Don't Like You At All, Big Brother!! y.l. 6-7 (Kouichi Kusano)

Lioar aitt elley 'sy 'traih shoh. Aght ennagh chreid mee dy nee jerrey y skeeal beagh ayn, agh cha nee. Ta ny h-inneenyn foast lieh-chaggey son tastey gilley aeg ard-channooagh. Er lhiam nagh row eh wheesh aitt as yn ym-lioar roiee; er y fa, foddee, nagh vel monney caghlaa 'sy skeeal? Cha s'aym. Mie dy liooar, cha nel mee shickyr my lhaimys ny smoo ny dyn (agh my ta dreeys orrym traa ennagh, lhaihin y nah lioar gyn leaystey erbee).

Genshiken Second Season y.l. 1 (Kio Shimoku)

Aaaah. Cha nel mee rieau er screeu er y chooish, son lhaih mee ad bleeantyn er dy henney, agh by vooar ass towse lhiam Genshiken tra dooar mee ad. Va mee cliaghtey kionnaghey fer y vee, bunnys, myr beggan sheshaght aitt tra va mee my lomarcan. Ta'n straih bentyn rish possan ollooscoillagh as anaase oc er reddyn "otaku" - manga, anime, kiaddaghyn as lioaryn bentyn daue, as y lheid - oh, as ram jeu lane dy chooid cheintyssagh. Agh ta'n straih hene cooie da peiagh erbee, bunnys, as by vie lhiam lhaih er bea laaoil ny sleih shoh, as ny kianglaghyn eddyr oc, as ny cooishyn va scanshoil daue. She sleih quaagh dy liooar t'ayn, gyn ourys, agh nagh vel shin ooilley quaagh 'syn aght er lheh ain? As cha nel wheesh scansh eddyr "otaku" as "geek", ga nagh vel anaase aym er y stoo cheddin hene.

Aghterbee... ta'n "Second Season" erreish da cooid smoo ny karracteyryn er vaagail yn ollooscoill as sleih noa er jeet stiagh. S'mie lhiam fakin dy vel Ogiue ayn foast (as Ohno chammah, agh ta aigney as dooghys jialgagh Ogiue feer anaasoil). Ta'n possan çheet dy ve lane dy vraane, as shen anaasoil lesh dooghys y phossan caghlaa. Rere cliaghtey, ta'n skeeal tayrnit dy jeeragh as bio, lane dy mynphoyntyn ga dy vel yn ellyn cruinn dy liooar. Feer vie.

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The end of week forty-eight of the Reading Project. Here's what I've read this week:

Pam fi eto, Duw? (John Owen)

A sequel to "Pam fi, Duw, pam fi?" and pretty similar. It's a bit less sad, but still dealing with the complicated and difficult affairs of teenagers. Rhys' style and mindset remain believable, swinging from ingenuous honesty to self-conscious self-mockery and between maturity and idiocy in a way that's very familiar to me when I was that age. Although we weren't that worried about the status of Welsh, to be fair.

I enjoyed it, but it felt slow and a bit long sometimes.

It's also impossible (now that I learned about it) to divorce these books from the appalling allegations made against John Owen after they were written. I don't think I could read any more from him. A shame.

And some that don't count, because I bought them:

Azumanga Daiaoh Omnibus (Azuma Kiyohiko)

Massive book, sadly not massive enough because I've finished it too quickly! It's a collection of 4-panel comics forming storylines, about (like so many others) some girls at school. It's simple, gentle fun and I enjoyed it a lot. The experience was a bit variable for me, because like anything aiming for jokes, some just work better than others for me.

Aqua v. 2 (Amano Kozue)

I actually bought and read this some time ago, but noticed I've missed it off the list somehow. It's another slow-paced and gentle story without much going on, but relaxing to read.

The disappearance of Nagato Yuki-Chan y.l. 2 (Tanigawa Nagaru)

This story, after two volumes, feels a bit light on plot; mostly there's little going on except the protagonist feeling nervous about the boy she likes, and some shennanigans around that. I suspect it's too heavily reliant on the original (a series called called The [various] of Haruhi Suzumiya that I've never read and don't particularly plan to after reading a bit about it. I don't hate this, but I just suspect it's not worth me reading any more, it's probably something only fans of the original would really appreciate.

I Don't Like You At All, Big Brother!! v. 6-7 (Kouichi Kusano)

Another fairly entertaining book in this series. For some reason I had the impression that this would be the end of the story, but it's not. As per, several girls are fueding (playfully and knowingly-ridiculously) over the attention of boy who's an incorrigible pervert. I felt like it was less entertaining than the last one, perhaps because not much changes in the story and it's feeling less fresh as a result? It's okay, I'm not sure I'll make much effort to read more of this series; but saying that, if I get bored sometime I'd probably read it without hesitation.

Genshiken Second Season v. 1 (Kio Shimoku)

Aaaah. I've never written about this, because I read them years ago, but I loved the original Genshiken manga when I discovered them. In fact, they're the first manga I read barring one volume of Ranma when I was far too young to know what manga was. I bought about a volume per month for a bit of cheering-up when I got lonely in my little flat. The story follows a (Japanese) university club for "otaku", i.e. people obsessed with manga, anime, plastic models, games and so on - with quite a heavy focus on adult material, although this doesn't shift Genshiken itself into the adult bracket. I found it really fun reading about the day-to-day happenings, relationships and aspirations of this bunch. They're all a bit odd in their own ways, but to be frank, aren't we all? I don't share their precise interests, but there's a hairsbreadth between "otaku" and "geek" for all that, and I found their personalities relatable. It helps that the protagonist is one of the less extreme examples and offers an introduction to the others.

Anyway... I discovered the existence of "Second Season" very recently and gave in this week. Most of the original characters graduated during or at the end of the original series, which means an influx of new people and a shift of focus. In the place of Sasahara, the original main protagonist, we have Ogiue - a quite natural change as they're similar types and she grew into a sort of viewpoint character during the last series. I've always liked her prickly character, so that's fine by me. The club is now overwhelmingly female, which leads to an interesting shift in focus for the club as a whole. Pleasingly, the old members still make an appearance. As always, the story is well illustrated, with lively drawings filled with detail, despite a deceptively simple style. Just excellent, really.