content: When I started reading Birds of Prey, I really enjoyed the atmosphere and setting. Then I started groaning at the incredibly predictable behavior of the cardboard cutout characters. By 1/4 of the way through, I found myself hypnotized by the parade of every stereotypical character I remember from the trashy adventure books I loved when I was 12. The young, perfect hero. His loyal negro sidekick. The noble, tragic father. The backstabbing piratical villain. The fat, ugly, cowardly, corrupt, rich villain. The cruel villain who is, however, a "true warrior". The sultry temptress. The beautiful imprisoned princess. A half-dozen more plot elements which I won't reveal for fear of spoiling the book. In every way, at best an average book.