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Did Someone Say…The Stranger? (The Champions #12) (1977)

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Writer: Bill Mantlo Artist: John Byrne Inker: Bob Layton The Champions join Black Goliath in battling one of the more impractical Marvel supervillains, who becomes even less of a threat when Darkstar destroys his deadly Z-ray. Yeah, I’m with Ghost Rider; I don’t see the Stilt-Man holding off a heavy hitter like Hercules, much less a team of which Herc is only one member. Maybe Johnny Blaze has a shot. After Goliath and the Stilt-Man lumber off to continue their fight mano-a-mano, the Champs consult with their visitor about the strange box she is carrying, only to be accosted by a new menace. They battle the Stranger, who says that the mysterious box is a devastating weapon of his own design from which he wants to save the Earth--a claim that is disbelieved by the team. Mantlo seems to be delivering a heavy-handed message about the destructive nature of mistrust and failure to cooperate, as shown by his comically dysfunctional heroes.  On the other hand, though, why should they beli...
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Shall We Dance? (1996)

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Writer / Director: Masayuki Suo Stars: Koji Yakusho, Tamiyo Kusakari, Naoto Takenaka, Eri Watanabe, Yu Tokui, Hiromasa Taguchi, Reiko Kusamura, Hideko Hara, Hiroshi Miyasaka A tired salaryman (Koji Yakusho), oppressed by the burden of overwork necessary to support his family and pay his mortgage, rekindles his joy for life through dancing lessons and the lovable eccentrics he meets there.  The hook that draws him in is a mysterious, beautiful woman (Tamiyo Kusakari) who gazes sadly out the window of the dance studio each evening.  This Japanese film inspired an American remake with Richard Gere and Jennifer Lopez.  That film has its own charms, but this story really works better in its original context.  The overworked, suffocating salaryman living his life of quiet desperation is a familiar figure to the Japanese, whose preoccupation with respectability and conformity can weigh heavily on those seeking professional acceptance and success.  As his initial attrac...
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Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (Harry Potter #2) (1998)

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by J.K. Rowling Harry returns to Hogwarts for his second year and finds the school under threat when a mysterious force begins attacking students and suspicion falls on him.  He, Ron, and Hermione investigate the legend of the Chamber of Secrets, giving Harry and company a tighter mystery than the first novel and considerably more action.  The plot is still very similar to the first book, once again built around the search for a dangerous secret hidden under the school, but J.K. Rowling handles the mystery more confidently this time.  J.K. Rowling The novel also deepens one of the series’ central ideas: that identity is determined by choices rather than ancestry, talent, or reputation.  This is especially important in a story so concerned with prejudice, blood status, class, and the treatment of those considered less than fully equal, whether non-magical, non-human, or even non-living.  Given Britain’s long class-conscious history, the series’ opposition to inhe...
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The Sunshine Killers (1975)

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by Wilson Young (AKA Giles Tippette) A wounded drifter rides into Sunshine, Arizona hoping to rest and recover, only to discover that the town is hiding a conspiracy to assassinate the President of the United States.  The novel goes beyond the boundaries of a traditional Western and into something closer to a conspiracy thriller or siege story, and author Giles Tippette manages the combination well.  Giles Tippette One of the book’s greatest strengths is the clarity of the action writing.  Tippette relays fairly complicated physical confrontations and shifting positions in simple, direct language that allows the scenes to play out as clearly as watching them in a well-directed film, and that clarity pays off especially well during the exciting standoff that drives the climax.  The novel’s stripped-down prose may leave some wanting more characterization or atmosphere, but the lean style also gives the story much of its momentum.  The violence feels abrupt, practi...
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The Devil's Whisper (1989)

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by Miyuki Miyabe Sixteen-year-old Mamoru’s uncle is arrested after his taxi kills a young woman under suspicious circumstances, and Mamoru’s effort to clear him uncovers a string of deaths tied to a cruel scam.  What begins as a family crisis turns into a larger mystery about lonely, insecure people being preyed upon by confidence artists who know exactly which weaknesses to exploit. "Magic Whispers" (Japanese)  This novel feels like the premises for four different books awkwardly crammed into one. "Whispers of Murder" (Thai)  There is the effort to clear Mamoru’s taxi-driver uncle of vehicular manslaughter, the mystery of the young women’s deaths, the subliminal advertising scheme at the supermarket where Mamoru works, and the question of what really happened to Mamoru’s father.  "Whispers of Magic" (Chinese) Together, they make the book feel busy rather than deep.  "Magic Whispers" (Korean) The result is somewhat contrived, with revelations arr...
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