james_davis_nicoll: (Default)
james_davis_nicoll ([personal profile] james_davis_nicoll) wrote2025-12-08 02:53 pm
Entry tags:

Bundle of Holding: Forged 3



The third array of recent standalone tabletop roleplaying games using the Forged in the Dark rules system based on John Harper's Blades in the Dark from One Seven Design Studio.

Bundle of Holding: Forged 3
james_davis_nicoll: (Default)
james_davis_nicoll ([personal profile] james_davis_nicoll) wrote2025-12-08 02:08 pm
Entry tags:

Five Freshly Reprinted SFF Books and Series



Did you miss these books the first time around? Good news!

Five Freshly Reprinted SFF Books and Series
james_davis_nicoll: (Default)
james_davis_nicoll ([personal profile] james_davis_nicoll) wrote2025-12-08 10:20 am

Books Received, November 29 — December 5



Six works new to me: four fantasy, one horror, and one SF (also ttrpg). Four are arguably series.

Books Received, November 29 — December 5



Poll #33929 Books Received, November 29 — December 5
Open to: Registered Users, detailed results viewable to: All, participants: 15


Which of these look interesting?

View Answers

New Edge Sword & Sorcery Magazine: Volume I, Number 5 edited by Oliver Brackenbury (December 2025)
3 (20.0%)

New Edge Sword & Sorcery Magazine: Volume I, Number 6 edited by Oliver Brackenbury (December 2025)
2 (13.3%)

New Edge Sword & Sorcery Magazine: Volume I, Number 7 edited by Oliver Brackenbury (December 2025)
2 (13.3%)

Black River Ruby by Jean Cottle (January 2026)
3 (20.0%)

The Flowers of Algorab by Nils Karlén, Kosta Kostulas, and Martin Grip (January 2026)
6 (40.0%)

Headlights by C J Leede (June 2026)
2 (13.3%)

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

Cats!
12 (80.0%)

james_davis_nicoll: (Default)
james_davis_nicoll ([personal profile] james_davis_nicoll) wrote2025-12-07 10:18 pm

Well, this was weird

Another unconscious person on public transit. This guy just seemed to be terribly tired, but when he slumped over, he knocked his stuff on the floor. Several times. I kept putting his stuff back, and mentioned him to the drive on my way out.
james_davis_nicoll: (Default)
james_davis_nicoll ([personal profile] james_davis_nicoll) wrote2025-12-07 08:51 am

Space Skimmer by David Gerrold



Who killed the empire? More importantly, what does it take to get men to process their emotions?

Space Skimmer by David Gerrold
james_davis_nicoll: (Default)
james_davis_nicoll ([personal profile] james_davis_nicoll) wrote2025-12-06 09:18 am

(no subject)



Geneviève Bergeron (born 1968; aged 21), civil engineering student
Hélène Colgan (born 1966; aged 23), mechanical engineering student
Nathalie Croteau (born 1966; aged 23), mechanical engineering student
Barbara Daigneault (born 1967; aged 22), mechanical engineering student
Anne-Marie Edward (born 1968; aged 21), chemical engineering student
Maud Haviernick (born 1960; aged 29), materials engineering student
Maryse Laganière (born 1964; aged 25), budget clerk in the École Polytechnique's finance department
Maryse Leclair (born 1966; aged 23), materials engineering student
Anne-Marie Lemay (born 1967; aged 22), mechanical engineering student
Sonia Pelletier (born 1961; aged 28), mechanical engineering student
Michèle Richard (born 1968; aged 21), materials engineering student
Annie St-Arneault (born 1966; aged 23), mechanical engineering student
Annie Turcotte (born 1969; aged 20), materials engineering student
Barbara Klucznik-Widajewicz (born 1958; aged 31), nursing student
james_davis_nicoll: (Default)
james_davis_nicoll ([personal profile] james_davis_nicoll) wrote2025-12-04 08:55 am
Entry tags:

A Mouthful of Dust (Singing Hills, volume 6) by Nghi Vo



Cleric Chih's quest to record the tragic history of a famine succeeds all too well.

A Mouthful of Dust (Singing Hills, volume 6) by Nghi Vo
james_davis_nicoll: (Default)
james_davis_nicoll ([personal profile] james_davis_nicoll) wrote2025-12-03 02:25 pm
Entry tags:

Bundle of Holding: Worlds Without Number



This new Worlds Without Number Bundle presents Worlds Without Number, the tabletop fantasy roleplaying game of far-future sword-and-sorcery adventure from acclaimed designer Kevin Crawford of Sine Nomine Publishing.

Bundle of Holding: Worlds Without Number
james_davis_nicoll: (Default)
james_davis_nicoll ([personal profile] james_davis_nicoll) wrote2025-12-03 08:53 am
james_davis_nicoll: (Default)
james_davis_nicoll ([personal profile] james_davis_nicoll) wrote2025-12-02 01:20 pm
Entry tags:
james_davis_nicoll: (Default)
james_davis_nicoll ([personal profile] james_davis_nicoll) wrote2025-12-02 10:02 am
Entry tags:
james_davis_nicoll: (Default)
james_davis_nicoll ([personal profile] james_davis_nicoll) wrote2025-12-02 09:35 am
Entry tags:

Chanur’s Venture (Chanur, volume 2) by C J Cherryh



Having saved hapless human Tully from the kif, hani star captain Pyanfar Chanur is faced with the consequences of saving hapless human Tully from the kif.

Chanur’s Venture (Chanur, volume 2) by C J Cherryh
james_davis_nicoll: (Default)
james_davis_nicoll ([personal profile] james_davis_nicoll) wrote2025-12-01 11:43 pm

The future!

Tremble at the majesty of an AI designed house.

Read more... )
james_davis_nicoll: (Default)
james_davis_nicoll ([personal profile] james_davis_nicoll) wrote2025-12-01 10:59 am
Entry tags:

Clarke Award Finalists 2024

2024: Scutigera coleoptrata become established in the UK, a Trident missile suffers performance anxiety during a test and refuses to leave its sub, and Labour sweeps to victory in the General Election, with surprising little effect on the subsequent frequency of cruel and vindictive legislation.


Poll #33896 Clarke Award Finalists 2024
Open to: Registered Users, detailed results viewable to: All, participants: 28


Which 2024 Clarke Award Finalists Have You Read?

View Answers

In Ascension by Martin MacInnes
1 (3.6%)

Chain-Gang All-Stars by Nana Kwame Adjei-Brenyah
1 (3.6%)

Corey Fah Does Social Mobility by Isabel Waidner
2 (7.1%)

Some Desperate Glory by Emily Tesh
27 (96.4%)

The Mountain in the Sea by Ray Nayler
12 (42.9%)

The Ten Percent Thief by Lavanya Lakshminarayan
2 (7.1%)



Bold for have read, italic for intend to read, underline for never heard of it.

Which 2024 Clarke Award Finalists Have You Read?
In Ascension by Martin MacInnes
Chain-Gang All-Stars by Nana Kwame Adjei-Brenyah
Corey Fah Does Social Mobility by Isabel Waidner
Some Desperate Glory by Emily Tesh
The Mountain in the Sea by Ray Nayler
The Ten Percent Thief by Lavanya Lakshminarayan
james_davis_nicoll: (Default)
james_davis_nicoll ([personal profile] james_davis_nicoll) wrote2025-12-01 08:59 am
Entry tags:

December 2025 Patreon Boost



Impress your friends and potential significant others! Join the legions of James Nicoll Reviews supporters! James Nicoll Reviews is the only SF review that promises to be pyroclastic flow-free!

December 2025 Patreon Boost
james_davis_nicoll: (Default)
james_davis_nicoll ([personal profile] james_davis_nicoll) wrote2025-11-30 10:29 am
Entry tags:

November 2025 in Review



21 works reviewed. 11 by women (52%), 10 by men (48%), 0 by non-binary authors (0%), 0 by authors whose gender is unknown (0%), and 8 by POC (38%).

Book by book, closer to aleph null.

November 2025 in Review
james_davis_nicoll: (Default)
james_davis_nicoll ([personal profile] james_davis_nicoll) wrote2025-11-30 09:17 am
denise: Image: Me, facing away from camera, on top of the Castel Sant'Angelo in Rome (Default)
Denise ([staff profile] denise) wrote in [site community profile] dw_news2025-11-30 02:42 am

Look! I remembered to post before December started this year!

Hello, friends! It's about to be December again, and you know what that means: the fact I am posting this actually before December 1 means [staff profile] karzilla reminded me about the existence of linear time again. Wait, no -- well, yes, but also -- okay, look, let me back up and start again: it's almost December, and that means it's time for our annual December holiday points bonus.

The standard explanation: For the entire month of December, all orders made in the Shop of points and paid time, either for you or as a gift for a friend, will have 10% of your completed cart total sent to you in points when you finish the transaction. For instance, if you buy an order of 12 months of paid time for $35 (350 points), you'll get 35 points when the order is complete, to use on a future purchase.

The fine print and much more behind this cut! )

Thank you, in short, for being the best possible users any social media site could possibly ever hope for. I'm probably in danger of crossing the Sappiness Line if I haven't already, but you all make everything worth it.

On behalf of Mark, Jen, Robby, and our team of awesome volunteers, and to each and every one of you, whether you've been with us on this wild ride since the beginning or just signed up last week, I'm wishing you all a very happy set of end-of-year holidays, whichever ones you celebrate, and hoping for all of you that your 2026 is full of kindness, determination, empathy, and a hell of a lot more luck than we've all had lately. Let's go.
james_davis_nicoll: (Default)
james_davis_nicoll ([personal profile] james_davis_nicoll) wrote2025-11-29 08:58 am
Entry tags:

Books Received, November 22 — November 28



Eight books new to me. Five fantasy, one horror, two science fiction, of which two are series and six may not be.

Books Received, November 22 — November 28



Poll #33890 Books Received, November 22 — November 28
Open to: Registered Users, detailed results viewable to: All, participants: 63


Which of these look interesting?

View Answers

Kill All Wizards by Jedediah Berry (June 2026)
22 (34.9%)

The Franchise by Thomas Elrod (May 2026)
10 (15.9%)

Carry Me to My Grave by Christopher Golden (July 2026)
3 (4.8%)

Obstetrix by Naomi Kritzer (June 2026)
31 (49.2%)

Inkpot Gods by Seanan McGuire (June 2026)
20 (31.7%)

Cursed Ever After by Andy C. Naranjo (June 2026)
7 (11.1%)

For Human Use by Sarah G. Pierce (February 2026)
3 (4.8%)

The War Beyond by Andrea Stewart (November 2025)
10 (15.9%)

Some other option (see comments)
1 (1.6%)

Cats!
45 (71.4%)