Every year around this time in certain parts of Europe a strange thing happens. The demons of winter make an appearance in the cities and towns. These are the Perchten, which, according to pagan tradition, serve to chase out evil and cleanse the world for the new year. Over the years, the Perchten have also become associated--and often confused--with the Krampus, a similar demon who is paired with Saint Nicholas and beats naughty children with a stick.

Last night the Perchten marched through the main street of Salzburg, striking terror in the hearts of tourists. It was fantastic! If you don't scream, they tend to leave you alone, but if you look scared, watch out! Also, as my friend Alice learned, you should not wear a skirt to these events, as your legs need to be protected from the switches.

After the horde marched past we actually followed them into the main square. Louise really wanted to get a picture with one, but every time we got close enough to ask, she ran away. Silly girl. At one point I got so fed up that I kicked (very lightly) the large bell a creature had handing off the back of his belt. I earned a smack on my head from his switch, but it was worth it. Eventually we did get a picture with one on Louise's camera. Here's the best shot I got:

Maybe it's because I've been watching "Angel" lately, but they seem like the sort of demon Buffy would love to fight. Perhaps that's why I had the urge to kick one...

-Kim

The Chronicles of Vladimir Tod

I told myself I was only going to spend my time reviewing books I actually enjoyed, but the cover art on this one was too good not to share. I mean, just look at that contrast shadow and the adorable vampiric smiley face! It's pretty much awesome. Unfortunately, that's where the excellence ends.

The Chronicles of Vladimir Tod is a series that has apparently been going for a while now, as this is the fourth book in the series (with a release date of 2-9-10). If you're already a fan I have no doubt you'll like this one as well, but it's a hard sell to newcomers. The main character is a moody teenage vampire, Vlad, who is apparently less romantically appealing than Edward Cullen but with the added bonus of being much less annoying. Vlad is also half-human and in the subject of a vampiric prophecy. I would like to thank author Heather Brewer for writing a book about a teenage vampire that actually has a plot. And bloodsucking. Vampires who don't drink blood are no fun. Vlad avoids killing people by selecting drudges, or servants, to feed off, in deference to his human side. Other vamps just kill people, which has led to a society of slayers. The inclusion of slayers also earns Brewer bonus points, but she promptly looses them for naming the most prominent slayer Joss. I would have thought of Buffy at the mention of slayers anyway, but making her creator the namsake for your own slayer is not cool.

I only read the first several chapters, a smattering of pages in the middle, and then the last three chapters. And yet I had no trouble following the story (aside from references to events from the previous books in the series), which makes me wonder what all the rest of those pages were there for. Also, Brewer should perhaps be reminded that titling the final chapter of a book "An Unexpected Ending" pretty much ruins any sense of surprise she was hoping to achieve, since the twist was hinted at in only the previous chapter.

In short, I have read worse books about vampires, and this series certainly has more potential for actual plot development and is therefore less annoying than Twilight. But that's really not saying much.

"Into every generation, a slayer is born"

And this time, it was me.


This was my costume for Halloween this year: Buffy the Vampire Slayer. The hair is all wrong, but short of buying a wig it was the best I could do.

Until a few months ago I knew almost nothing about Buffy the Vampire Slayer. But after being told by several different people that I was missing out on something great, I decided to find out what they were talking about. Since I love Joss Whedon's other work, it seemed like a pretty good idea. So over the summer I set myself the goal of watching the whole series. That's 7 seasons, for a total of 144 episodes, each about 42 minutes long. Since the Simmons library has the whole series it was no trouble getting my hands on them, and the lack of homework gave me the time I needed to plow through and immerse myself in the awesomeness that is Buffy (And the awesomeness of Spike, but that could be a whole different post).

A while back I drafted half of an essay detailing why Buffy is such a good show, but in the end it all boils down to great, believable characters. Sure, most of them have superpowers or drink blood, but their personalities and their choices are real. That's what's so great about fantasy and science fiction--the writers have to work harder at making things real. In order for a reader or viewer to believe the fantastic events that happen, we have to believe in the characters, we have to see them react the way a normal person would. In real life dramas writers can get away with making ridiculous characters, in fact, they almost have to in order to make everyday happenings seem exciting. But the fantasy writer pairs the fantastic with the mundane, grounding the demons in realistic human experience.

That's part of what makes Buffy so cool--she feels real. She's just a teenage girl trying to fit in at school and have fun with her friends, and the Hellmouth keeps getting in her way. And as Faith once put it, at least she's a hot chick with superpowers. What more could I aspire to be for a night?

-Kim

Buffy Vs. Edward {Remix; Rebelliouspixels.com}

This is why I'm going to be Buffy for Halloween.