A Piece of Ground by Helen Nielsen

Originally published 1957 in Manhunt; this edition 1995

Publisher: Oxford University Press

Collected in: Hard-Boiled: An Anthology of American Crime Stories (ed. Bill Pronzini & Jack Adrian)

M (not recommended 15 years and under, no legal restriction)

(D, V)

Drug Use {G} {alcohol}

Violence {M}

Representations

Gender:

Level 29: "You feel a little lucky"

Calmer? Not so busy be this area. Only a hill giant and a human druid for evil in the area.

The giant is downed easily, even with a giant spider at her back. The druid however, insists on fighting Marash among the columns of a large hall, summoning animals to eir aid.

She does her best to force a path to the druid direct, focusing on the major threat here.

Druid beaten down, focus shifted to the next-greatest threat - the giant tick that smokes and burns with heat in its attack.

I spent most of the day conducting a cellophane gamble. Will weather sealing the windows in my house actually keep the place warmer?

The house was built in 1915. It's been remodeled and updated and modified so many times since, that I'm unsure just what in the house is original, and what isn't. It's a lovely place, with a distinct personality that instantly drew me to it as soon as I saw the pictures back in June. We only just closed the sale two weeks ago and finally moved in a week ago. 

So Pale, So Cold, So Fair by Leigh Brackett

Originally published July 1957 in Argosy; this edition 1995

Publisher: Oxford University Press

Collected in: Hard-Boiled: An Anthology of American Crime Stories (ed. Bill Pronzini & Jack Adrian)

M

(D, L, V)

Drug References {M} {Alcohol - getting drunk for grief, Tobacco}

Coarse Language {PG}

Violence {M}

Representations

Gender:

Home by Gil Brewer

Originally published March 1956 in Accused; this edition 1995

Publisher: Oxford University Press

Collected in: Hard-Boiled: An Anthology of American Crime Stories (ed. Bill Pronzini & Jack Adrian)

MA15+

(L, D, N, V)

Coarse Language {PG}

Drug References {M} {Alcohol - frequent public drunkenness, leading to menace}

Nudity {M}

Violence {MA}

Representations

Gender:

Level 27: "This place seems reasonably safe"

Marash trundles idly around, until she spots Khim, son of Mim and starts backing away. She was intending to leave and let him be, except that one of his firebolts destroyed one of her teleport level scrolls.

Back around a corner, protection from evil, bless, protection from heat and cold.

... he isn't taking much damage. Drain life again barely dents him. Marash definitely needs a heftier attack.

The Screen Test of Mike Hammer by Mickey Spillane

Originally published July 1955 in Male; this edition 1995

Publisher: Oxford University Press

Collected in: Hard-Boiled: An Anthology of American Crime Stories (ed. Bill Pronzini & Jack Adrian)

M

(D, V)

Drug Use (M) {Tobacco}

Violence (PG)

Representations

Gender:

Women simultaneously as infantilised possessions and dangerous manipulators.

Sex:

Mama's Boy by David Alexander

Originally published May 1955 in Manhunt; this edition 1995

Publisher: Oxford University Press

Collected in: Hard-Boiled: An Anthology of American Crime Stories (ed. Bill Pronzini & Jack Adrian)

MA15+

(D, L, V)

Drug Use {PG} {alcohol}

Coarse Language {M}

Violence {MA}

Representations

Gender:

Viewpoint character is intensely misogynistic and focused on distorted ideals of masculinity.

Level 26: "This place seems reasonably safe"

Quiet, empty. The only evil around is Angamaitë of Umbar. He might be the only danger around here, but Marash is wary. Kitting herself out for crossbow has weighed her down. She trudges east.

A vortex, crackling with energy. They close range, she fires. Those bolts are magical alright, magically worse than ordinary bolts. But they are still better than the arrows she had been firing, so she isn't panicking yet. Get rid of the vortex, then get rid of the bolts. Onwards.

Let's say it quick.

Exhausted, don't know why I haven't let myself get to sleep already, except maybe a fear of not doing things when I could be doing things and thereby wasting irretrievable moments of my brief existence.

Finished reading The Power of One on the train in to work this morning, should say more about that when I have the consciousness for it. Borrowed Chronicles of Crime: The Second Ellis Peters Memorial Anthology of Historical Crime from the library, presumably start reading tomorrow on breaks.