Naruto Volume 23: Predicament

This one was more one big battle scene than anything else. The Konohagakure ninjas are still fighting one on one with their enemies but it draws closer to a climatic show down.

Naruto Volume 22: Comrades

I like seeing how each of the individual characters use their fighting styles but I miss the big group battles. Kishimoto has put a lot of thought into the "physics" of his world.

Bleach Volume 24: Immanent God Blues

I think Kubo may be growing as a writer. He's adding character development to his stories. This is two in a row where the characters are giving reasons for their actions, rather than just earning another level in their kick assedness.

Bleach Volume 23: Imala Suertei

Hey! There's actually some interpersonal relationships starting to develop in Bleach. Not holding my breath, though, it is "boy manga". Just after Orihime bares her soul to Rangiku a huge battle breaks out. I expect that'll last for the next couple of volumes.

Buffy the Vampire Slayer: Twilight

Hmmm... Well, that's a little anticlimactic. After all this time, Angel is the Big Bad. And he and Buffy are getting superpowers as some kind of reward. Maybe if I read Angel as well it would make some sense but not so much right now. I'm a little disappointed. Oh well, Spike's crashing the party that should make things interesting (and I'm an Angel girl).

A Crown of Swords

There's a flurry of activity in A Crown of Swords, for Robert Jordan anyway. The plot takes some major leaps in this one - Egwene and the Aes Sedai, Nynaeve and Elayne find the bowl, another Forsaken is killed and Rand actually takes a crown.

I love the bits with Mat in this one. He earns Elayne's respect (which he should have had long since) and his interaction with Birgitte is wonderful to read. I should feel bad about what happens to him in the hands of Tylin but I can't quite. I like the sheer desperation that comes through. It's too bad it ends in a cliff hanger that I know won't be resolved in the next book.

Green Lantern: No Fear

This is essentially the sequel to Rebirth. It's Hal Jordan dealing with coming back from the dead. It's about what makes him tick and what it means to be a man without fear. I like Johns' insight into what makes the man a Green Lantern.