jdnicoll

jdnicoll, 2 months ago to random

Five SFF Books About Idealistic Pursuits That Failed

True believers can change society—though not always in a positive way, according to these SFF stories...

https://reactormag.com/five-sff-books-about-idealistic-pursuits-that-failed/
#ReacTor

jdnicoll, 2 months ago to random

April 2024 Patreon Boost!

You too could support the review site of a five-time Hugo nominee! Operators are standing by [1]!

1: Operators are not in fact standing by but the process is fairly painless.

https://jamesdavisnicoll.com/post/april-2024-patreon-boost

jdnicoll, 2 months ago to random

2024 Hugo Award Finalists

The full list of 2024 Hugo Award, Astounding, and Lodestar finalist may be found at the other end of this link.

https://glasgow2024.org/hugo-awards/2024-hugo-award-finalists/

#HugoAward #MeMeMeMeMe #IMAFINALIST #EEEEEEEE

jdnicoll, 2 months ago to random

Thornhedge by T. Kingfisher

Will a curious knight discover the secret hidden within the ancient tower or will its guardian convince him not to do this very foolish thing?

https://jamesdavisnicoll.com/review/stands-an-old-tower
#booktodon

jdnicoll, 2 months ago to random

Beyond Rejection (Beyond, volume 1) by Justin Leiber

Revived in the body of a mind-wiped woman, Ishmael Forth is challenged to adapt to new circumstances. But first, a two-fisted interstellar adventure!

https://jamesdavisnicoll.com/review/also-there-are-moby-dick-references
#Booktodon #BecauseMyTearsAreDeliciousToYou

jdnicoll, 2 months ago to random

Five SF Stories Featuring Unsuccessful Attempts at Space Colonization

What wondrous discoveries await the pioneers of tomorrow? In many cases, final ones.

https://reactormag.com/five-sf-stories-featuring-unsuccessful-attempts-at-space-colonization/
#TorDotCom #ReacTor

jdnicoll, 2 months ago to random

Bundle of Holding: John Carter of Mars (repeat from 2021)

The January 2021 John Carter of Mars Bundle featuring the John Carter of Mars tabletop roleplaying game from Modiphius Entertainment based on the Martian planetary romances of Edgar Rice Burroughs.

https://bundleofholding.com/presents/JohnCarter2024

jdnicoll, 2 months ago to random

The Mindwarpers by Eric Frank Russell

Can master metallurgist Richard Bransome keep his job, now that the corpse of the woman he murdered has been discovered?

https://jamesdavisnicoll.com/review/the-whole-world-fades
#booktodon #BecauseMyTearsAreDeliciousToYou

jdnicoll, 2 months ago to random

Books Received, March 9 — March 15

Eleven works new to me.

https://jamesdavisnicoll.com/post/books-received-march-9-march-15

Cover, I’m Afraid You’ve Got Dragons by Peter S. Beagle (May 2024) A castle, in front of which is a fire-breathing dragon.
Cover, In the Belly of the Whale by Michael Flynn (May 2024) A spherical spaceship in orbit around a planet.
Cover, Swordcrossed by Freya Marske (October 2024) Two duelists gazing into each other's eyes.

jdnicoll, 2 months ago to random

Crosstime Traffic by Lawrence Watt-Evans

There's no going home for crosstime travellers.

https://jamesdavisnicoll.com/review/another-world
#booktodon

jdnicoll, 2 months ago to random

Five Works That Demonstrate Why Portal Networks Remain an SF Staple

And not just because having the characters die of old age sixty years into a two-thousand-year journey to Proxima would be a downer.

https://reactormag.com/five-works-that-demonstrate-why-portal-networks-remain-an-sf-staple/
#ReacTor

jdnicoll, 2 months ago to random

The Hexologists (The Hexologists, volume 1) by Josiah Bancroft

Professional problem-solvers and ardent anti-monarchists Isolde ​“Iz” Wilby and Warren ​“War” Wilby are strong-armed by the crown into resolving a problem of the crown's own making.

https://jamesdavisnicoll.com/review/in-a-cool-breeze
#booktodon

jdnicoll, 2 months ago to random

The Men and the Mirror by Ross Rocklynne

Determined space cop Colbie chases charmingly roguish pirate Deverel from planet to planet, into physics-demonstrating trap after physics-demonstrating trap.

https://jamesdavisnicoll.com/review/so-alone
#booktodon #BecauseMyTearsAreDeliciousToYou

jdnicoll, 3 months ago to random

Ten Classic Books I Read as a Teen That Still Hold Up

Sometimes older books are visited by the Suck Fairy--but not all! Here are ten that stand the test of time.

https://reactormag.com/ten-classic-books-i-read-as-a-teen-that-still-hold-up/
#TorDotCom #ReacTor

jdnicoll, 3 months ago to random

2024 Hugo Nomination deadline imminent

All Hugo ballots must be received by Saturday, 9 March 2024, 16:00 Greenwich Mean Time (GMT) (UTC+0). Blatant self-promotion, link to voting process over on my site.

https://jamesdavisnicoll.com/post/please-nominate-me

jdnicoll, 3 months ago to random

Another week, another round of Which Nebula finalists have you read? This week's year is 1973, which for some reason had unusually long finalist lists.

nyrath, 3 months ago (edited 3 months ago) to random

Rocket packs have drawbacks.

Jet packs carry chemical fuel but uses atmospheric oxidizer. About 10 minutes before the fuel is used up.

Rocket packs carry both fuel and oxidizer. About 30 SECONDS before the fuel is gone.

Hard to increase duration, short of nuclear energy.

Users typically fly with rocket packs at an altitude too low to use a parachute (below 30 meters) but too high to survive the fall (above 9 meters)

jdnicoll, 3 months ago to random

The Last Starship From Earth by John Boyd

In a world ruled by the robot Pope, an easily seduced mathematician is led astray by an alluring poet.

https://jamesdavisnicoll.com/review/build-this-dream
#BecauseMyTearsAreDeliciousToYou #Booktodon

jdnicoll, 3 months ago to random

Quality ads for quality science fiction.

jdnicoll, 3 months ago to random

Fathomfolk (Drowned City, volume 1) by Eliza Chan

Reformers discover there is no path to reconciliation that cannot be FUBARed by a sufficiently energetic idealist trying to help.

https://jamesdavisnicoll.com/review/tide

#review #booktodon

jdnicoll, 3 months ago to random

Five SF Strategies for Creating More Land

Make Room! Make Room! Literally.

https://reactormag.com/five-sf-strategies-for-creating-more-land/
#TorDotCom #ReacTor

jdnicoll, 3 months ago to random

Decision to cut costly pre-flight test yields major savings in on-going operational costs thanks to dramatic mission duration reduction.

https://www.reuters.com/technology/space/moon-lander-odysseus-mission-expected-end-tuesday-morning-5-days-after-touchdown-2024-02-26/