marthawells: (Witch King)
marthawells ([personal profile] marthawells) wrote2025-08-02 10:59 am

Queen Demon review

Woke up to a fantastic review of Queen Demon in the August Locus. Here's an excerpt:


This is a fantastic novel, set in a fascinating world with truly compelling characters. It is shot through with grief, with the reverberations of destruction and the aftermaths of trauma: While the past timeline gives us emotional focus on the characters’ griefs, immediate traumas, and desperate choices, the present makes plain the extent of the Hierarchs’ destruction of the rest of the world, the scars in the landscape, in societies, in the vanishing of entire cultures. New societies have built themselves out of the ruins, in the shadow of what was lost and in its absences. While we see it particularly from Kai’s perspective, understanding his losses and his wounds, his scars and his griefs, and what healing has been possible for him between the past and the present, it’s not unique to Kai, either. Loss with all its jagged edges looms over this fragile recovery. These scars wear not only upon the main characters but upon their allies and opponents, too: Trauma, both personal and generational, is a strongly motivating factor and a weight that influences most of the personal relationships and many of the political interactions that we see.
-- Liz Bourke, Locus August 2025


Queen Demon is the sequel to Witch King, and it will be out in ebook, hardcover, and audiobook (narrated by Eric Mok, on October 7
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james_davis_nicoll ([personal profile] james_davis_nicoll) wrote2025-08-02 09:54 am

Books Received, July 26 to July 31 belated poll

Poll #33455 Books Received, July 26 to July 31
Open to: Registered Users, detailed results viewable to: All, participants: 46


Which of these look interesting?

View Answers

The Laundry Roleplaying Game: Operative’s Handbook by by David F Chapman, Calum Collins, Christopher Colston, Alister Davison, Michael Duxbury, Warren Frey, Gareth Hanrahan, and Elaine Lithgow et al (Q4, 2025)
19 (41.3%)

The Laundry Roleplaying Game: Supervisor’s Guide by Anthony Boyd, Greg Buchanan, David F Chapman, Calum Collins, Christopher Colston, Alister Davison, Michael Duxbury, Warren Frey, Gareth Hanrahan, Derek Johnston, and Elaine Lithgow et al (Q4, 2025)
19 (41.3%)

You do know at least one person in the group needs both books, right?
24 (52.2%)

Some other option (see comments)
2 (4.3%)

Cats!
41 (89.1%)

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james_davis_nicoll ([personal profile] james_davis_nicoll) wrote2025-08-02 09:18 am
Entry tags:

Books Received, July 26 to July 31



Just two items this week (although maybe two halves of one thing). Both cosmic horror, both part of (or related to) a series.


Books Received, July 26 to July 31
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james_davis_nicoll ([personal profile] james_davis_nicoll) wrote2025-08-01 03:45 pm
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james_davis_nicoll ([personal profile] james_davis_nicoll) wrote2025-08-01 08:49 am

Empath by Hoa Pham



Many people spend their lives wondering if there's a point to their existence. Vuong and her clone sisters have a purpose. With a little investigation, they might find out what it is.

Empath by Hoa Pham
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james_davis_nicoll ([personal profile] james_davis_nicoll) wrote2025-07-31 10:17 am
Entry tags:
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james_davis_nicoll ([personal profile] james_davis_nicoll) wrote2025-07-31 09:04 am
Entry tags:
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james_davis_nicoll ([personal profile] james_davis_nicoll) wrote2025-07-31 08:57 am
Entry tags:

July 2025 in Review



23 works reviewed. 12 by women (52%), 10 by men (43%),1 by non-binary authors (4%), 0 by authors whose gender is unknown (0%), and 11 by POC (48%).

July 2025 in Review
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james_davis_nicoll ([personal profile] james_davis_nicoll) wrote2025-07-30 04:00 pm

Hypothetically speaking

If someone asked for a list of issues with the Reactor site, what would be your top five? Not counting search. Assume search will be mentioned.
mindstalk: (food)
mindstalk ([personal profile] mindstalk) wrote2025-07-30 03:45 pm
Entry tags:

white people broccoli

A few years ago, there was a thing on Tiktok and Twitter to make fun of "white people food", like chicken breast and steamed vegetables supposedly without any spice or seasoning, even salt. At the time I got offended mostly about the "white people" generalization", noting Europe's native pungents like mustard. But. Read more... )

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james_davis_nicoll ([personal profile] james_davis_nicoll) wrote2025-07-30 03:16 pm
Entry tags:

Bundle of Holding: BattleTech Shrapnel 2



11 digital issues of The Official BattleTech Magazine from Catalyst Game Labs, Shrapnel.

Bundle of Holding: BattleTech Shrapnel 2
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mindstalk ([personal profile] mindstalk) wrote2025-07-30 12:45 pm
Entry tags:

grid cities around the world

There's this belief I've seen, exemplified by a recent Youtube comment:

everyone knows that cities can have grids.

but show a grid city and everyone will guess it's a North American city.

most cities in the world grew organically so grids aren't a big thing everywhere else. you might find a few grids here and there, but that's it. going all out on grids is a North America special.

Read more... )

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james_davis_nicoll ([personal profile] james_davis_nicoll) wrote2025-07-30 08:59 am

Mr. Villain’s Day Off, volume 1 by Yuu Morikawa



One day the General will be victorious. Earth will be his! Humanity will be exterminated!

However, today is the General’s day off.

Mr. Villain’s Day Off, volume 1 by Yuu Morikawa
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james_davis_nicoll ([personal profile] james_davis_nicoll) wrote2025-07-29 09:28 pm

Heads up for the Pacific

8.7 quake in Siberia, tsunami warning across the Pacific.
marthawells: Murderbot with helmet (Default)
marthawells ([personal profile] marthawells) wrote2025-07-29 09:00 am

Online Event

Tomorrow (Wednesday the 30th) Summer of Science Fiction & Fantasy: Martha Wells in conversation with Kate Elliott

July 30 @ 6:00 pm – 7:30 pm PT Register at this link:

https://www.clarionwest.org/event/summer-of-science-fiction-fantasy-martha-wells-in-conversation-with-kate-elliott/

It's free!
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james_davis_nicoll ([personal profile] james_davis_nicoll) wrote2025-07-29 08:54 am

Angel Station by Walter Jon Williams



Two orphans try to make a living in an unforgiving universe.

Angel Station by Walter Jon Williams
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james_davis_nicoll ([personal profile] james_davis_nicoll) wrote2025-07-28 02:02 pm
Entry tags:

Bundle of Holding: Apocalisse & Inferno



English-language ebooks of Apocalisse and Inferno, the Acheron Games campaign settings based on the Book of Revelation and the Divine Comedy for Dungeons & Dragons Fifth Edition and compatible systems.

Bundle of Holding: Apocalisse & Inferno
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james_davis_nicoll ([personal profile] james_davis_nicoll) wrote2025-07-28 09:36 am
Entry tags:

Clarke Award Finalists 2007

2007: The Blair government is rocked by rumours of Tory-style corruption, Matty Hull’s killers escape justice and are free to kill again, while the global financial markets to which the UK belongs are absolutely secure and in no way headed for a shocking correction.


Poll #33435 Clarke Award Finalists 2007
Open to: Registered Users, detailed results viewable to: All, participants: 14


Which 2007 Clarke Award Finalists Have You Read?

View Answers

Nova Swing by M. John Harrison
9 (64.3%)

End of the World Blues by Jon Courtenay Grimwood
3 (21.4%)

Gradisil by Adam Roberts
3 (21.4%)

Hav by Jan Morris
7 (50.0%)

Oh Pure and Radiant Heart by Lydia Millet
0 (0.0%)

Streaking by Brian Stableford
0 (0.0%)



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

Which 2007 Clarke Award Finalists Have You Read?
Nova Swing by M. John Harrison
End of the World Blues by Jon Courtenay Grimwood
Gradisil by Adam Roberts

Hav by Jan Morris
Oh Pure and Radiant Heart by Lydia Millet
Streaking by Brian Stableford