Skulduggery Pleasant, and a bit about urban fantasy -- maybe

Only just managed to restrain myself from using 'Skulduggery is pleasant' as a subject, since this is a book I enjoyed greatly, rather to my surprise. Why the surprise? Partly the hype - I was seeing this in every book-shop in town, and hearing it was already a big hit in the States, and the film rights... I don't do hyped very gracefully as a rule. And a tiny bit of prophet in his hometown perhaps? Not about Irish writers in general, of course, but Irish-born, Irish-dwelling writers of fantasy for kids that I've read and loved is a bit harder to think of.

( The book )

( with bit of segue into urban fantasy setting )