I Am the Messenger, Zusak. Yes. I have a couple issues with the book. First, it assumes (or perhaps implies) a characteristic of human nature that I am firmly convinced does not exist; second, the writer does a thing that I ordinarily disapprove of. He executes it competently, but it is not necessary to the story and I believe it does a disservice to the characters. Your assignment: compare and contrast IAtM and Zero Effect.

Walking in Circles before Lying Down, Markoe. Yes. I laughed more reading this book than I have laughed at a book in a long, long time. Ms Markoe is a gifted humorist.

Visionary in Residence, Sterling. No. This was quite a struggle for me to finish. I usually enjoy Sterling’s work, and I did enjoy the final two stories in this collection, but the rest, by and large, made me think that he was taking the title of the collection (which is also, I believe, his job title where he’s a visiting professor of design or some such) far too seriously. I really don’t care how smart you are, or how smart you think I am, just use the right words in the right order. Almost no one is good enough to show off and get it right.