Orokamonogatari Read:

This book came out a long time ago in Japan (6 years?) but received its final translated form only this February 21.  Every now and then I checked to see if I could read on past the anime of Bakemonogatari and for the first time ever progress was possible.  Now not only Orokamonogatari, but perhaps many more volumes have opened up for perusal.  I'll be checking up on them next (because the translators have been working out of order).

As for the actual contents of the story I'd say they're okay.  There were a lot of funny lines, though all the puns which work in Japanese fall flat once laboriously explained in English.  Actually puns aren't funny even in the original language. . .  The last story actually had some exciting and interesting events and introspections take place and also featured mai waifu Nadeko.  I can't say anything in favor of the Suruga story because I hate Suruga.  Sodachi's story was really long-winded for something so simple but oh well, it had its moments.  Sodachi is one of the characters that hasn't gotten as much attention so it's wise to write more about her.

Perhaps this book's existence in a translated form matters less in and of itself and more as a gateway to the books that come after which now people can finally read.  Maybe one of those books really is good.  I must read on.  (Finishing two books in one day is pretty impressive, huh?  But it looks like all I can do is move on to a third now that I'm done with the first two. . .)

Higurashi Gou is actually good now that it's about Satoko.  I'd say this portion is great, but then I'd be counting the same series as both great and not great, and since the majority of Higurashi Gou isn't great, I guess I'll consign the whole thing to the merely 'good' category.  Such a shame.  They should have started with this material and only this material.