Noragami: Stray God, Vol. 18

Adachitoka. Noragami: Stray God, Vol. 18. 2017. 200p. ISBN 978-1-63236-345-9. Available in the Graphic Section of the library.

The war between Bishamon and the Heavens continues from Noragami, Vol. 17. Yato successfully defeated Takemikazuchi, but now faces an even greater threat as the plague spirit of the shinki Shiigun fills the skies with horsemen bent on destroying Bishamon and all those who oppose. Kazuma attempts to intervene to save his goddess' life, but she pushes him away. Flashback episodes explain Kazuma's desire to protect her, but ultimately Bishamon decides to save her shinki from certain death.

Confronting the Crafter, Bishamon lands a deadly blow but is also stricken down and falls back to Earth. Yato strikes at Shiigun, and sunders the Heavens. Arrested, he is summarily judged and found guilty. Yukiné is imprisoned for all eternity in a small cube, and Yato is slated for execution. Tenjin steps in and invokes the trial by pledge, in which each sides wagers three shinkis, and the side that is right sees the defeated side lose their head. Will any shinki volunteer on Yato's behalf?

Meanwhile, Hiyori is the first to find the limp form of Bishamon in the forest, but she is confronted by one of Heaven's enforcers. With lives on the line, the war among the gods is becoming deadlier still ...

20th Century Art, 1980-2000: New Media, New Messages

Gaff, Jackie. 20th Century Art, 1980-2000: New Media, New Messages. 2000. 32p. ISBN 978-0-8368-2853-4. Available at 709.04 GAF on the library shelves.

The 1960s featured decolonization and revolution around the world, and the art of those decades reflected the angst caused by massive social changes. In the 1980s, the evolution of technology sped up, and computers entered the mainstream and became prevalent in offices, homes, and schools. Some artists quickly adapted to this new digital frontier, while others continued to experiment with physical objects and colors.

Art began to incorporate words, to help convey messages and meaning. Space also became integrated into art, incorporating a certain level of emptiness and otherwise wasted space. Abstract colors returned, once again inspired by the awesome displays of nature. Painting became more aggressive, leading many to complain that it was more trash than art. A novel form of art, graffiti, entered consciousness. Slogans and tags became works of art in their own right, and prized graffiti artists became highly sought.

Sculptures evolved into larger pieces in the 80s and 90s, while every day objects considered tacky or in poor taste suddenly found themselves incorporated into major works of art. The mass production of video cameras led to a multiplication of displays that incorporated video in artworks. The democratization of computers and the Internet led to purely digital art, and suddenly allowed for the spreading of art world-wide. 

Broken Throne

Aveyard, Victoria. Broken Throne. Part of the Red Queen series. 2019. 480p. ISBN 9780062423023. Available at FIC AVE on the library shelves.

Broken Throne is a collection of five stories as well as journal entries and maps. These stories span the Red Queen series, providing a glimpse of what happened before Mare Barrow's birth and what followed the conclusion of War Storm. It fills in many of the gaps not discussed in the series, and provides a satisfying conclusion for many of the characters.

In Queen Song, Cal discovers a diary his mother kept. Coriane chronicles growing up from being a minor noble in a distant house to catching the eye of Tiberius and eventually ascending the throne as Queen of Norta. Minor characters such as Julian and Sara make an appearance, and Coriane's love for her son is clear. Elara's duplicity comes through as well as she schemes to take Coriane's place.

In Steel Scars, Farley journeys through the structures of the Scarlet Guard and mounts a secret mission to Norta. There she connects with Red soldiers in the Norta army, and meets Shade, Mare's brother (and future father of her child). Her efforts at organizing the Reds to overthrow Silver authority eventually lead to War Storm and the destruction of Norta as a silver kingdom.

In World Behind, red-blooded captain Ashe runs a keelboat on the mighty river. He picks up a Silver for safe passage, but when she turns out to be Lyrisa, a princess running away from a marriage with a creepy Silver noble, things heat up. Chased by her husband-to-be and his men-at-arms, Ashe and Lyrisa must work together to avoid certain death.

Iron Heart presents the conclusion of Evangeline and Elane's story, from the end of the War to Evangeline's abdication to any claims to the throne of the Kingdom of the Rift, so that she can become a plain citizen of Monfort. The two girls' relationship is fraught with danger as they navigate a new world in which their abilities are praised, but their former birthrights mark them as suspicious. In the end, they successfully escape the emotional reach of their respective parents, and are able to openly live together.

In Fire Light, Mare and Cal are finally reunited following the end of the war in Norta. War Storm had left their relationship on the precipice, but two months out in the wilderness helps Mare realize that she does in fact love Cal, while the former King of Norta has successfully abandoned his heritage and has entered service with Monfort. What began four books ago when Cal first met Mare in the Stilts reaches a satisfying and realistic ending.

Finally, in Fare Well, Maven reflects on his life as he is about to be executed, and the consequences that his execution has on Cal.

Fans of the Red Queen series will appreciate these extra tales and details, which provide one more opportunity to spend time with beloved characters.