Ah, that's more like it. Three stories - the first is Bad Suki, which is weird. Modesty and Willie are really on a hunt - this, I think, is the first place where Modesty's anti-pusher feeling is shown, at least so vividly. Well, it comes up in Mister Sun, too, but she expresses it more strongly here. And they're nicely snookered by Suki! The comedy of errors when Brookie shows up again is - quite realistic, actually. Good story overall, though a bit dated, as Walt Simonson says in the introduction. It is very firmly a hippie story, though it would work just as well with a less time-limited sub-culture. Nice story with neat tricks. And poor Brookie. Next is The Galley Slaves, which I enjoy. The settings are neat, Modesty and Willie encounter an old friend who isn't anymore (so we get a sideways glimpse of The Network), Tarrant gets sneaky, the final battle is wonderful - this one is great all around. Then comes The Red Griffon - it's good, but poor Max. The drawings of the boy annoyed me - he always has his mouth wide open! Ugly. Again, Modesty and Willie are outfoxed, but the villain is definitely fighting out of his weight class. With all the handicaps they're under, he still never gets close to winning except once by surprise. And then they call on Freddie again - I like when characters show up again, with a bit of continuity. Though just how Modesty got from Papeete to Venice - well, by plane I suppose, but why and where did she meet Max and all the rest. Oh well, it can't really be a day-by-day story. ( )

http://mscongeniality.vox.com/library/post/reading-2007-january-17.html ( )