The Radical Child

1. What are three things you refuse to live without?
My Apple computer and devices, the internet, and my video game systems.

2. What are your three favorite items of clothing?
My campaign hat, my maternal aunt's duster coat, and my variety of shoes.

3. What are your three favorite books?
1984 by George Orwell
Jurassic Park by Michael Crichton
A People's History of the United States by Howard Zinn

4. What are three things you'd grab if you had to evacuate your house quickly?
My portable Apple devices, my portable gaming systems, and my aunt's duster coat.

5. What are your three favorite songs or musical works?
"Anything Goes" from the Broadway musical of the same name
"You Go Your Way, I'll Go Mine" by Carole King
"It's My Life" by Bon Jovi

Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5

2. Should book burning be outlawed?

Fuck no. There are tons of books I'd gladly incinerate, such as masturbatory political hagiographies/autohagiographies (thanks for introducing me to the terms, Logan) and political nonfiction masquerading as "literature," much of which could easily qualify as fiction, specifically fantasy or horror, depending upon the tone.

Logan also mentioned banning flag burning, and a big hell no to that as well, for a few reasons. First of all, America was founded upon treason, "dissent is the highest form of patriotism," and in regards to American Independence Day, "treason is the reason for the season" as Jesus is regarding Christmas. Second, I consider flag worship, particularly the Pledge of Allegiance, to be a form of idolatry, which is a big no-no in my Christian faith (hey, it's not nearly as bad as not being vaccinated for "religious reasons"). Some observations as well. Burning other countries' flags in America is in many respects considered worse and xenophobic, and most of the strongest supporters of illegalizing U.S. flag burning have a few paradoxical other views, for instance being among the biggest defenders of the Confederacy in the so-called "Civil War" (though I think resisting illegal military action by another country is perfectly fucking reasonable), and vice versa.

That's my view, folks. Take it or leave it.

Eulalia! by Brian Jacques
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Although this yarn of Redwall, written by the late Brian Jacques, occurs chronologically well beyond its initial entry, it contains a structure like the stories that occur beforehand. However, the setting this time is the mountain stronghold Salamandastron, where a Badger Lord tells a story to his daughter. The first chapter after the prologue introduces some of the main antagonists aboard the Bludgullet, spearheaded by the vulpine Captain Vizka Longtooth, with his entourage known as the Sea Raiders. The badger Gorath also plays a significant role, being a refugee who takes solace in the stories of Redwall and Salamandastron.

Gorath quickly finds himself a prisoner of Vizka’s forces, with the hare Maudie of the mountain sanctuary tasked with finding a badger lord to bequeath the legendary fortress. Maudie finds herself the hostage of sand lizards. Meanwhile, Redwall is relatively at peace, although the vermin kidnaps one of its residents, the hedgehog Orkwil Prink (initially expelled from the Abbey due to his thievery, a first among the “good” creatures). The hares of Salamandastron, among them Maudie, who gets in trouble for serving soup too hot, eventually rendezvous with the shrews of Guosim, its current Log-a-Log Luglug.

Another group of adversaries arises, the Brownrats led by Gruntan Kurdly, with a power struggle between his forces and Vizka’s. Gorath soon meets Orkwil and goes with him to Redwall, where the badger remains abed for much of the book. Gorath meets other badgers like the female Salixa, eventually accepting his destiny as heir to Salamandastron. Several well-described battles round out the nineteenth story, and as with its predecessors, plenty of good poetry is present. Overall, this is another enjoyable tale of Redwall, although, like most of its predecessors, most of its elements are derivative, such as depicting specific animals in black-and-white terms.

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BEASTARS, Vol. 4 by Paru Itagaki
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

As with its predecessors, the fourth entry of mangaka Paru Itagaki's Beastars series opens with a summary of previous events and visual depictions of dramatis personae, afterward commencing with a flashback where Haru encounters Louis in a dream. In the present, Louis is bloody from shedding his antlers and gives her hush money. Haru wishes to care for him until he recovers, becoming intimate, with Legoshi entering the scene and taking shock. Louis and Legoshi go on a walk, with the red deer insisting that he interacts with his fellow lupine Juno, for whom Legoshi has complicated feelings.

Back in the Canidae dormitory, Jack, the Labrador retriever, has a dilemma with his childhood friend Legoshi, thinking he is a pervert given his possession of a small animal pornographic magazine, feeling that falling for Haru has dulled the wolf's hunter instincts. Legoshi and Haru later help with preparations for the Meteor Festival. However, the prep ends early due to news of an herbivore's devouring, after which the wolf and the rabbit run through the subways, catching the attention of others and even the police, before hiding in a bathroom to await their eventual retreat.

Legoshi continues to wonder if Haru feels she is in danger and is afraid of her discovering that he had attempted to capture and devour her in their first anonymous meeting. In the meantime, Bill the tiger accidentally claws Louis, the red deer insisting first aid is enough for recovery, after which Bill confesses that he visited the black market, resulting in Louis threatening him with a gun, insisting they are unequal, and leaving for the infirmary. Haru insists that she and Louis are just friends, although the red deer and Legoshi argue about her, with Louis giving a mandate about the romance.

Juno, in the meantime, hits on Legoshi, who receives accusations of seduction, afterward rehearsing with Louis and expressing her ambition to become the next Beastar. Consequentially, she pins down Louis, who warns her about Legoshi. As the Meteor Day festival approaches, a blackout occurs, with carnivores accused since while they can mostly see in the dark, herbivores can't. After the incident, Louis recalls his past when he was #4 in an underground market, not taught to read, speak, or write until an adult deer purchased his freedom and adopted him as his heir.

The fourth volume ends with Legoshi serving as "secret bodyguard" for Louis when he pins down a leopard attempting to devour the red deer as he visits the memorial for Tem the alpaca, devoured at the very beginning of the manga series. Itagaki further reveals some design notes for Juno, provides notes on responsible mating practices whether interspecies or within the same species and gives a parodic comic sequence on whether Els the Angora goat prefers canines or felines. Overall, the fourth entry of the manga franchise is every bit as enjoyable as its precursors, with superb localization and how it reads from right to left being the sole indicator of its country of origin.

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