nothing too impressive

Sex criminals, vol. 4 by Matt Fraction and Chip Zdarsky.  This seems like a good stopping point for me.  I've become less-than-thrilled with this series for two similar but distinct reasons: as the story goes on, the people get darker and darker and the world gets weirder and weirder.  Read the first one or two, then stop.

The West Wing, seasons 5 through 7, with Martin Sheen.  It took me quite a few season to put my finger on what it was about this series that leaves me dissatisfied: it purposefully skips-- but makes tantalizing references to-- the daily life details.  The way someone butters their toast is relevant; it was annoying that we got so little of the characters' backgrounds and off-hours, and that the seasons skipped such big chunks of time-- weeks and months sometimes.  If these were just ignored or cut for time, I could have lived with that, but the little references, which I'm sure were designed to hint at character depth, were more frustrating.

Recommended.  I will barely know what to do with myself now.

Pirates of the Thunder by Jack L. Chalker.  For a four-book series, this book still felt like more set-up than questing.  I have ordered the two remaining books used online, so I can read them at my convenience, rather than requesting them via ILL.

The invoice by Jonas Karlsson.  This is a reread in order to make trivia questions for a quickly-approaching program.  Still a great book.

The land of naked people: Encounters with Stone Age islanders by Madhusree Mukerjee.  This is poorly organized.  The author intersperses historical information with modern-day information, based around her research trips to the island.  However, neither the historical nor contemporary events unfolded in order.  There are several tribal groups spread over the islands, which are distinct from each other; how, exactly, isn't well-shown.  She repeatedly mentions a number of people she encounters on her repeated visits to the island, but doesn't give enough information for them to be distinct individuals.