Well, I finally read Bec. My first Friday off to study for the final exams (yes, huzzah, from now on no more Fridays at school, which effectively cuts out the worst day of the week, Thursday because now it's fake-Friday) and I've spent it reading.I think it's the fastest I've read a DS book, only took me half a day. And I must say I'm surprised; Darren managed to write from a female perspective with grace, wit, and no glaring sexism.So, now for a traditional Inny-review. Without the traditional part. Spoilers ahead, yo.Bec As I said, I was amazed at the total lack of suckage at this book. I was afraid Darren would totally ruin it, trying to type from a girl's perspective. But he did it nice, subtle and he probably baffled his 10 year old male readers with this line:I'm almost of marrying age- my blood came a couple of years ago, earlier than most girls- but I can never wed. -Bec, page 28Very nice, very subtle, very not gorey. Gore can be nice in a horrorbook, but not when talking about a girl's menstrual cycle.I liked Bec. I liked the fact she has red hair, though that was common back then, I like that she was a SEEKRET GRADY, I like that she was kind, not too whiney (but not someone who had SUPER POWERS OF NEVER-GETTING-TIRED) and that she was capable of coherent thought. More so than Grubbs and Kernel, but that might just be me.I liked the crush on... whatshisname. The cute pedo blacksmith. Fernigan? Fiachna. That was cute too.And I liked the fact that she was brave enough to go through with letting herself be killed and Drust not getting it. And the way she saved Bran at the end. That was so sad and sweet.... what I hate, though, is that DARREN KILLED HER. Dammit, Darren. You finally make a main character I really like, and you murder her after just one book!BranTURNIP.God, I loved Bran. When I read on the site that a boy from another village would be there, I thought it would be your average handsome guy where the girl swoons and such. This was much better.Bran was sweet, special, and above all, incredibly amusing. Not just because he shouts random words, but because he's so innocent and still understands so much. And because he yanked out Connla's moustache.I especially liked the bit where he comes back from dancing with the demons so the others could escape.Run Fast smiled hazily, unsure of what all the fuss is about. In his head, I don't think leading demons on a merry chase counts for much. He's far prouder of the necklace of flowers. -Bec, page 72Aww. That's so sweet.Also, I loved the ending with him. Bran cuddling close to Bec when she came back from her Great Sea Adventure, him stabbing the druid because he loves her, him coming back even after Bec sent him away and shouting her name in desperation (I had to put the book down to go 'awwww' at the top of my voice for that). It was all very sweet.It's sucky that Bec dies. I wanted to know what happened to Bran. Maybe we get another way-past book? I wanted to know what his gift was, and how much of a gift he had and such. Who knows. He could be the great-great-great grandad of Beranabus. Or something. Maybe he's the second part of the Kah-Gnash (the ultra weapon pieces Lord Loss is looking for)Actually, that fits into my theory of the parts being inside humans. Wasn't that part of the plot from Digimon? Kernal, Bran and Grubbs. With their secret powers. ... Or something. Maybe not Kernal, I don't know. But sure. Hey. Clever Inny. I totally outwitted you, Darren.Speaking of outwitting Darren...I knew Connla was going to be trouble... oh, just about at the beginning when he was told to come on the quest. And it was pretty much confirmed when Lord Loss was standing over him 'seemingly whispering'. Either I'm outgrowing Darren, or I'm just very good.Also, I've found another pattern in his work that might mean I'm outgrowing Darren. All the mentors... they're the same man. Beranabus, Crepsley, Seba (probably) and now the druid. Draft? Drust? Dribbleyface? Druidman.I mean, they all used punishment, were all pretending to be hardasses and in the end, they were all nice or at least human.Dervish is the exception to this rule. He's a mentor too, and he can be strict ("Grubbs, go clean the mansion because the maid got zapped by the magic protection for my office and now I don't take maids anymore"), but he's nice, has the ability to smile without getting physical pain and... well, he has neon jogging socks.DrustI don't know what to say about Drust. He was like Beranabus, only... well, he ran more. With good reason, too. I was a bit amused at the fact that everyone was surprised by that, when he'd said 'your lives are worthless to me' when they started, but oh well.I liked the whole male and female magic, too. And that the female magic didn't sound too girly and whimpy. Though the pollen-bee thing was pushing it, but I'll let is slide because of the whole 'old tribe lives close to nature' thing.I'm a bit confused at what this means about Dervish and such, though. Their power awakes only near demons. Does that mean they're getting their power from the Demonata, and thus are using male magic? Then what do the female Disciples do?But anyway, I liked the magic thing. Especially the bit where Drust is all: "I'd like to have a male apprentice, but *sigh* you'll do."Speaking of magic, how about those crazy Christians?ChristanityOh-ho-ho. Darren, Jesus-moms are going to buuurn you. Or your books. But hey, bookburning still means they have to BUY it first. If they haven't already, with the vampires and the guts and the magic and the... erm... undead babies chewing off their mother's breasts. Totally awesome scene, by the way.I love how Darren totally put the upcoming christians in this, and that religeon was a source of power, but not of magic. And how the views in the book seemed to fit and (to me, anyway) didn't seem to be intended to stab at Christianity in any way. It's probably what most people did think at that time.But still. Jesus-moms. Burning books. Huzzah.NudityAnother reason to freak parents out And still not talking about the undead babies eating their mother, though wow. Bravo, Mister Shan. nudity! Oh the horror.Actually, though there was a lot of nudity in this book, most of it was very natural, and not at all fic-inspiring. Not even the bit where Smith-man helped dress Bec after her Great Sea Adventure.Speaking of: A short reenactment of the beginning of the Great Sea Adventure...Drust: I need you to strip in front of everyone and then I'm pushing you into the sea. Bec: OMG you're naked you look odd. ... kay *strips* Dribble: Yeah. Now do the spells so I can push you into the ocean. Oh, and by the way, on the way back I will be feeling up your arse to push you up, and have it all in my face. Bec: Is this one of those times you still wished you had the male aprentice? Draft: ... no comment.Did I mention the undead babies?Oh, how I loved that scene. It was so compelling, so creepy and so utterly... demonic. I like how Orna doesn't scream or anything while she's being eaten alive, all blissful to be back with her babies. It's sad.I also love how Blacksmith can be so calm about how she's being ripped to shreds. It shows you how bad their lives must have been, that he sees that as a merciful death. That's vaguely disturbing in itself.Werewolves, werewolves, werelovesAlso, I love the earlier Grady-family. Though it's a bit creepy they... 'mated' with demons. A real Demonata. I do so hope it did not look like... one of the wolfthings in it's final form. Because ew. Ew, ew, ewewew.It's kind of sad they did that as a last resort to not get killed, and then it didn't happen. Well, they didn't get killed, but the land wasn't ruled by the demons or the half-demon-people.Also, aww, poor Bec. She never gets to talk to her family, and she finds out her mum killed her papa because of it.Wow, imagine the odds in having 6/6 children turn. I've tried checking the gene-tablets they teach you in biology, but even if the gene was dominant and she shagged someone who wasn't cursed, she'd have one-in-two. If the gene was recessive, the other person would have to be cursed as well, and then it'd be a one-in-four odds. If the gene was dominant and they both had it... woah. Sucky.But then, if they're far enough down the line...Biology confuses me. This is why I chose Geography instead.So, all in all...All in all, it was an excellent book. The writing was, in my eyes, better than ever, even though some of the plot was getting... easier to figure out. The characters, most of them, were well thought out, and the research done was wonderful.I'm still cross with Darren for killing Bec. I liked Bec. I'm used to him killing off the sidecharacters I like by now, but I finally find a main character I like and she's the one he murders first, anyway.Well, I think I'm done ranting now.