the amount I read has increased significantly of late. the variety has improved as well, as I try to broaden my inspirational material.

there was a side effect apparently, as there I was today at the local bookstore, browsing the fantasy section for something new to read, when to my delight I notice an actually sexually attractive female browsing the said fantasy section as well.

any and all interested lasted as long as it took for me to notice the book she was holding. in a fit of boredom and irate curiosity, I made a comment that descended into a fairly heated, if amusing argument.

okay so maybe 'why don't you just read chick lit, instead of that travesty trying to pass itself off as fantasy?' wasn't exactly the most diplomatic attempt to spark up a conversation.

for years, I've been accused of being the average sucker for male wish fulfillment type books, consisting of heroes, dragons and sexy elf ladies. I took little offence to this, seeing as to how I am in fact interested in these subjects. if someone wanted to assume that typified me with completely irrelevant character traits, I wasn't all that bothered.

what I do take offence to however, is hypocricy. after having spent some time reading across the entire spectrum of fantasy fiction of late, the stereotypes females enjoy seem to be every bit as silly and superficial.

don't believe me? pick up almost any bestselling 'pop' fantasy book written by a woman, and it will have:

1. several completely unrealistic male romantic interests, inevitably consisting of total testosterone pumped douchebags who always end up having a sensitive side.

2. a homosexual best friend who is always gay. no lesbians to be had here.

3. the heroine who always saves the day by taking advantage of extreme acts of unrealistic, idiotic male chauvanism shown by both her enemies and incompetent allies/love interest.

there really is little accounting for taste.