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
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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
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james_davis_nicoll Nov. 30th, 2025 09:17 am)
james_davis_nicoll Nov. 30th, 2025 09:17 am)
An academic's dismal prospects are transformed by a magical umbrella.
The Incredible Umbrella (Incredible Umbrella, volume 1) by Marvin Kaye
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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]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user_staff.png)
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.
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.
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: 51
Which of these look interesting?
View Answers
Kill All Wizards by Jedediah Berry (June 2026)
18 (35.3%)
The Franchise by Thomas Elrod (May 2026)
9 (17.6%)
Carry Me to My Grave by Christopher Golden (July 2026)
2 (3.9%)
Obstetrix by Naomi Kritzer (June 2026)
25 (49.0%)
Inkpot Gods by Seanan McGuire (June 2026)
16 (31.4%)
Cursed Ever After by Andy C. Naranjo (June 2026)
7 (13.7%)
For Human Use by Sarah G. Pierce (February 2026)
3 (5.9%)
The War Beyond by Andrea Stewart (November 2025)
9 (17.6%)
Some other option (see comments)
1 (2.0%)
Cats!
35 (68.6%)
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(james_davis_nicoll Nov. 28th, 2025 11:38 pm)
james_davis_nicoll Nov. 28th, 2025 11:38 pm)But this time, I managed to wake her up without help. Go me.
Well, that was more close brushes with performing CPR than I consider ideal for a commute...
( Read more... )
( Read more... )
(james_davis_nicoll Nov. 28th, 2025 08:58 am)
james_davis_nicoll Nov. 28th, 2025 08:58 am)
Two sisters, separated during calamity, join opposing sides of a divine war.
The Gods Below (Hollow Covenant, volume 1) by Andrea Stewart
A pious monk is dispatched on a mission about which he has serious reservations: steal the bones of St. Nicolas.
Nicked by M. T. Anderson
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(james_davis_nicoll Nov. 26th, 2025 09:11 pm)
james_davis_nicoll Nov. 26th, 2025 09:11 pm)Pringle's book was referenced on Bluesky and since I couldn't read the images, I looked it up on Wikipedia.
The List
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The List
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The core rules plus essentials for the 2013 Fifth Edition of Shadowrun, the cyberpunk-fantasy tabletop roleplaying game from Catalyst Game Labs.
Bundle of Holding: SR5 Essentials (from 2019)
Eighteen setting sourcebooks for Shadowrun 5th Edition.
Bundle of Holding: SR5 Universe Mega
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It was just pointed out to me that SF artist Stephen Fabian died age 95 back in May.
If you can't trust a scantily-clad demon to aid you in your war with heaven, who can you trust?
7thgarden, volume 1 by Mitsu Izumi
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A utopia (of sorts) is endangered by a discontented, powerful, malcontent.
Aristoi by Walter Jon Williams
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Bundle of Holding's 13th annual feast of top-quality tabletop roleplaying game ebooks.
Bundle of Holding: Cornucopia 2025
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2023: King Charles III is the most unpopular British King in the last 60-odd years, Health Secretary Matt Hancock and Cabinet Secretary Simon Case’s comic routine is poorly received, and Sunak’s government ushers in a golden age of soaring STD rates.
Bold for have read, italic for intend to read, underline for never heard of it.
Which 2023 Clarke Award Finalists Have You Read?
Venomous Lumpsucker by Ned Beauman
Metronome by Tom Watson
Plutoshine by Lucy Kissick
The Anomaly (translation of L'anomalie) by Hervé Le Tellier
The Coral Bones by E. J. Swift
The Red Scholar's Wake by Aliette de Bodard
Poll #33874 Clarke Award Finalists 2023
Open to: Registered Users, detailed results viewable to: All, participants: 19
Which 2023 Clarke Award Finalists Have You Read?
View Answers
Venomous Lumpsucker by Ned Beauman
4 (21.1%)
Metronome by Tom Watson
0 (0.0%)
Plutoshine by Lucy Kissick
2 (10.5%)
The Anomaly (translation of L'anomalie) by Hervé Le Tellier
0 (0.0%)
The Coral Bones by E. J. Swift
0 (0.0%)
The Red Scholar's Wake by Aliette de Bodard
15 (78.9%)
Bold for have read, italic for intend to read, underline for never heard of it.
Which 2023 Clarke Award Finalists Have You Read?
Venomous Lumpsucker by Ned Beauman
Metronome by Tom Watson
Plutoshine by Lucy Kissick
The Anomaly (translation of L'anomalie) by Hervé Le Tellier
The Coral Bones by E. J. Swift
The Red Scholar's Wake by Aliette de Bodard
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Just as the Great Fire of Rome was a boon for the building trade, so too will a modern catastrophe be a boon for used book stores.
The Coming Golden Age of Used Books
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I've mentioned here before that one of my big projects this year is my involvement with The Vertigo Project, which now has a webpage so the rest of you can see what we've been doing. Earlier today I facilitated the first creative therapy-style writing workshop through that group, and it was really lovely--and is just the tip of the iceberg on what this group is doing.
Specifically, you can now read all the new work they've commissioned from me! Friends, it's a lot. It's journaling prompts for people who would like to use writing to process some of their own vertigo experiences. But also it's the following stories and poems:
Advice for Wormhole Travelers (story), safe conduct through strange new worlds
Club Planet Vertigo (poem), this is not the dance I wanted to do
Greetings from Innerspace (poem), my orbits are eccentric
The Nature of Nemesis (poem), me and Clark Kent know what's what
On the Way Down (poem), falling hard
Preparation (poem), sometimes we're just literal, okay
She Wavers But She Does Not Weaken (story), when the waves hit you even on dry land, it's good to have someone who's willing to swim against the current for you
The Torn Map (story), rewriting the pieces of the former world into something new
The main page also has links to some of the other aspects of the project, which includes a nonfiction book, dance, puppetry, a podcast with a physical therapist, and more. Please feel welcome to explore it all.
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