johnstonmr | Reading

Six works new to me: two fantasy (one a roleplaying game), four science fiction. The roleplaying game is part of a series but otherwise, they all seem to be stand-alone.

Books Received, September 6 — September 12

Poll #33608 Books Received, September 6 — September 12

Open to: Registered Users, detailed results viewable to: All, participants: 19

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Which of these look interesting?

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Daughter of No Worlds by Carissa Broadbent (October 2025)
4 (21.1%)

Outlaw Planet by M.R. Carey (November 2025)
9 (47.4%)

Champions of Chaos by Calum Colins, et al
0 (0.0%)

Slow Gods by Claire North (November 2025)
8 (42.1%)

The Divine Gardener’s Handbook: Or What to Do if Your Girlfriend Accidentally Turns Off the Sun by Eli Snow (August 2026)
9 (47.4%)

Death Engine Protocol: Better Dying Through Science by Margret A. Treiber (April 2025)
6 (31.6%)

Some other option (see comments)
0 (0.0%)

Cats!
16 (84.2%)

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books received

james_davis_nicoll

I'd been posting reviews to LiveJournal since April of 2014 but on September 12, 2014, James Nicoll Reviews went live, with a review of Robert A. Heinlein's Between Planets.

james_davis_nicoll

It's time for Bo to leave doomed San Francisco behind... just as soon as she completes one final task.

Awake in the Floating City by Susanna Kwan

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james_davis_nicoll

11 sourcebooks that range across the shattered Earth of the Rifts tabletop roleplaying game from Palladium Books.

Bundle of Holding: Rifts Worlds 1

More World Books for the cross-dimensional tabletop roleplaying game

Bundle of Holding: Rifts Land and Sea (from 2022)

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bundle of holding

james_davis_nicoll

A woodcarver's foster daughter sets out to free a maiden from a magical tower prison, just the sort of thing that always works out exactly according to plan, without unforeseen geopolitical complications.

SideQuested by K B Spangler & Ale Presser

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review

james_davis_nicoll

Some characteristics are disadvantageous in highly specific SFF circumstances...

Five SF Stories Built Around Specific, Context-Dependent Disabilities

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james_davis_nicoll

Otaku Hina is delighted that her Japanese neighbour Kyuta looks just like Hina's favourite anime character. Alas, Kyuta dislikes anime almost as much as vampires like Hina.

Otaku Vampire's Love Bite, volume 1 By Julietta Suzuki (Translated by Tomo Kimura)

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james_davis_nicoll

Doctor Catherine Coldbridge travels to darkest Texas in quest of her long-lost husband, Frank Humble... so she can kill the unkillable man.

The Unkillable Frank Lightning by Josh Rountree

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review

james_davis_nicoll

The ULTIMATE rules and 17 supplements

Bundle of Holding: Rifts Core MEGA (From 2022)

11 RIFTS World Books from Palladium

Bundle of Holding: Rifts Worlds 2

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bundle of holding

james_davis_nicoll

What, aside from the overwhelming weight of evidence, suggests Einstein was right?

Five Books That Just Said To Hell With the Speed-of-Light Barrier

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james_davis_nicoll

2013: The Tories masterfully tank the UK credit rating, a grateful nation celebrates Margaret Thatcher’s death, and Scotland inexplicably chooses to remain in the UK.

Poll #33586 Clarke Award Finalists 2013

Open to: Registered Users, detailed results viewable to: All, participants: 15

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Which 2013 Clarke Award Finalists Have You Read?

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Dark Eden by Chris Beckett
3 (20.0%)

2312 by Kim Stanley Robinson
9 (60.0%)

Angelmaker by Nick Harkaway
4 (26.7%)

Intrusion by Ken MacLeod
1 (6.7%)

Nod by Adrian Barnes
1 (6.7%)

The Dog Stars by Peter Heller
1 (6.7%)

✓ for read, * for intend to read, ! for never heard of it. Or whatever amuses you.

Which 2013 Clarke Award Finalists Have You Read?
Dark Eden by Chris Beckett
2312 by Kim Stanley Robinson ✓
Angelmaker by Nick Harkaway ✓
Intrusion by Ken MacLeod
Nod by Adrian Barnes
The Dog Stars by Peter Heller

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clarke award

james_davis_nicoll

An assortment of stories, and commentary on same, drawn from across Galaxy Magazine's life.

Galaxy: Thirty Years of Innovative Science Fiction edited by Martin H. Greenberg, Joseph D. Olander & Frederik Pohl

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james_davis_nicoll

So I rolled up a bunch of Icons characters. Mostly boring, but this one is at least mildly amusing.

Doctor* Shawinigan**

( Read more... )

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icons

james_davis_nicoll

Five books new to me, at least four of which are fantasy (not sure about the El-Mohtar) and three instalments in series.

Books Received, August 30 — September 5

Poll #33580

Open to: Registered Users, detailed results viewable to: All, participants: 43

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Books Received, August 30 — September 5

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Lies Weeping by Glen Cook (November 2025)
21 (48.8%)

Seasons of Glass and Iron: Stories by Amal El-Mohtar (March 2026)
27 (62.8%)

The River and the Star By Gabriela Romero Lacruz (October 2025)
7 (16.3%)

The Bookshop Below by Georgia Summers (November 2025)
16 (37.2%)

The Burning Queen by Aparna Verma (November 2025)
9 (20.9%)

Some other option (see comments)
0 (0.0%)

Cats!
29 (67.4%)

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books received

james_davis_nicoll

A scholar's insight yields unexpected harvest.

The Memory of the Ogisi (The Forever Desert, volume 3) by Moses Ose Utomi

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james_davis_nicoll

These stories have been going for at least 15 years or more...

Getting Lost in the Archives: Five Long-Running SFF Webcomics

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james_davis_nicoll

The malevolent Hierarchs are dead. The only way to learn about them is archaeology. The only thing worse than archaeologists not finding the relics of evil sorcerers is finding relics of evil sorcerers.

Queen Demon (The Rising World, volume by Martha Wells

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