strange_aeons | Network

It seems comments of mine quoted on Wikipedia has angered someone.

This bit caught my eye: " I only paid attention to this page after looking up those for several authors whose works I'd enjoyed, only to be surprised by how Nicoll's opinions had been added to criticisms of their works. Looking at the edit history, it showed they had all been added by the same person - Nicoll."

Except I didn't and looking at the Simmons entry, which I did suspect is what set this off, I don't see why anyone would think I had.

ailbhe

minoanmiss is never going to wake up again. I don't know if she's off life support yet but she will be and... it's so sad.

She remembered things about my children I'd forgotten. She sent us stickers and magnets and cute notepaper with PLANETS on. Not-Christmas cards and poems. I wanted to know what she thought of a book I recommended. She just got her eye sorted out five minutes ago, I wanted her to get a chance to look.

I knew her for 25 years and we never met or spoke, as far as I know. "Only" online. "Only" alt.poly and livejournal and dreamwidth and tumblr and. And and. Only that.

She was the only one of her in the world and I will miss her.

Edit to add: I'm reading through old emails and LJ comments and looking at poems we shared. She introduced me to Mika, too, and I loved his albums for ages.

james_davis_nicoll

Benford and Bear in the Epstein files

As far as I can tell, they weren't involved in Epstein's sex trafficking. Just there as big name authors. Bear at least is reported as unimpressed.

Oddly, the third Killer B doesn't seem to have been invited.

redbird

[Ny is gravely ill, unconscious, and unlikely to recover:]

Update: Ny is gone. As of a couple of hours ago, she no longer has brain function, and will be moved off life support after evaluation for organ transplant, and allowed to die peacefully, not necessarily immediately.

[my earlier info was via princessofgeeks, who linked to

goss's post]

Current Mood: upset and sad

james_davis_nicoll

Stories about nuclear war don't usually feature popular, pre-existing characters...

Four Times Familiar Characters Faced Nuclear Armageddon

james_davis_nicoll

A rescue places two space miners in the cross-hairs of a ruthless corporation.

Heavy Time (Devil to the Belt, volume 1) by C J Cherryh

denise posting in

dw_advocacy

On Friday, the judge hearing our VA case issued a preliminary injunction preventing the state from enforcing Virginia's SB 854 against any Netchoice member (which means us!) while the lawsuit proceeds. Judge Giles's ruling is a little technical in places and covers a number of legal issues that I keep meaning to get around to explaining someday so folks can have a better grasp on the kind of things they'll see argued in cases like these, like strict scrutiny and associational standing, but the end result is still pretty clear, I think: the judge agrees Netchoice has made a strong enough showing right from the start that the law is unconstitutional to block the state from doing anything to enforce it until the full case can be heard.

This is only the beginning of that particular fight and we still have a ways to go, but it's great news for us, for all our users from Virginia, and for the internet as a whole. Three cheers for the Netchoice team and the outside litigation counsel, who are Clement & Murphy for this one! The full docket in RECAP: NetChoice v. Jason S. Miyares, 1:25-cv-02067, (E.D. Va.).

elynne

The more he sees of the works of mortals, the more Hythlodaeus is reminded of his ancient past.

( Read more... )

james_davis_nicoll

Interactive .PDF maps and floorplans for ready-made tabletop roleplaying campaigns from 0one Games.

Bundle of Holding: Campaign Starters

james_davis_nicoll

The nomination period for the 2026 Aurora Awards is officially open! All CSFFA members can log into the Canadian Science Fiction and Fantasy Association website at and submit up to five works in each our ten categories. Please only nominate what you're familiar with. Nominations close 11:59pm EST on April 4th, 2026.

Nominate here

james_davis_nicoll

In this, Young People Read Old SFF's 10th year, a new project!

Young People Read Old Science Fiction Stories Edited By Cele Goldsmith: April in Paris by Ursula K. Le Guin

redbird

We’ve been in New Orleans for a few days, enjoying warm weather and eating outdoors— cattitude in particular needed to get away from winter. Not as much interesting food as we’d hoped, but lunch today was at a lebanese restaurant, where we tried Lebanese iced tea, made with rosewater— the server apologized because she thought we had asked for it instead of ordinary sweet tea. My grilled shrimp and rice were also excellent.

Then we wandered through the French Market, and bought hats, a shoulder bag, and a smaller cros-body bag.

We rounded the afternoon off by listening to the drum circle in Congo Square, which has been weekly for more than 300 years. My brother suggested than because our hotel is across thethe street street from the park.

More when I get home ; we’re flying back tomorrow

wcg

Happy Kalends of Martias!

james_davis_nicoll

You too can fund James Nicoll Reviews, a never-dimming beacon of joyful optimism in a burning dumpster world!

March 2026 Patreon Boost

james_davis_nicoll

The Ringworld is doomed! Doomed to subpar sequels!

The Ringworld Engineers (Ringworld, volume 2) by Larry Niven

jennaria

Wife and I went to a local college production of The Tempest, which was quite decent - original music; Ariel played by two actors/dancers splitting the part, and frequently individual lines; a solid Prospero played by a woman (although the production didn't do anything with that fact). But the thing is -

( On the cross-pollination of Miranda and the specific sub-genre of Chinese web-novels that are all about 'reborn, I fixed all my mistakes.' )

So in conclusion: any recs for stories about Miranda, please. Because she deserves to be better than That Girl Nobody Actually Cares About.

james_davis_nicoll

20 (!) works new to me: almost all fantasy. It's striking how little prose SF here is in the mix and how what there is is confined to the older works I acquired.

Books Received, February 21 — February 27

Poll #34301 Books Received, February 21 — February 27

Open to: Registered Users, detailed results viewable to: All, participants: 41

View Respondents

Which of these look interesting?

View Answers

Mirrorwoven by Bori Cser (July 2026)
7 (17.1%)

Bodies of Magic by Marske Freya (September 2026)
16 (39.0%)

The Wretched Divine by Adalyn Grace (September 2026)
5 (12.2%)

Hawk & Sparrow by Ayana Gray (September 2026)
5 (12.2%)

When Shadows Burn by Vanessa Le (December 2026)
4 (9.8%)

Call Me Traitor by Everina Maxwell (October 2026)
14 (34.1%)

Trunk No. 3 by Allie Millington (October 2026)
8 (19.5%)

Lightning and Thunder by Sara Raasch (December 2026)
4 (9.8%)

East of Envy by Nikki Saint Crowe (November 2026)
5 (12.2%)

Outgunned — Action Flicks Vol. 3 by by Riccardo “Rico” Sirignano and Simone Formicola with art by Daniela Giubellini (February 2026)
4 (9.8%)

Outgunned Superheroes by Riccardo “Rico” Sirignano and Simone Formicola with art by Daniela Giubellini (February 2026)
5 (12.2%)

The Harrow Home for Wayward Girls by Jessica Spotswood (August 2026)
4 (9.8%)

Antilia: Sword And Song by Kate Story (June 2018)
2 (4.9%)

Antilia: Seer and Sacrifice by Kate Story (May 2019)
2 (4.9%)

Blasted by Kate Story (August 2008)
5 (12.2%)

Ferry Back the Gifts by Kate Story (November 2022)
3 (7.3%)

This Insubstantial Pageant by Kate Story (October 2017)
6 (14.6%)

Nightjars by Michael Wehunt (September 2026)
2 (4.9%)

The Dreamless by Jen Williams (May 2026)
6 (14.6%)

It Looks Like You in the Dark by Mathilda Zeller (October 2026)
12 (29.3%)

Some other option (see comments)
1 (2.4%)

Cats!
29 (70.7%)

james_davis_nicoll

It's almost March 2026, somehow. I hope March 2026 to January 21, 2029 goes by as quickly...

20 works reviewed. 10 by women (50%), 8 by men (40%), 1 by non-binary authors (5%), 1 by authors whose gender is unknown (5%), and 8 by POC (40%).

More details here.

james_davis_nicoll

Seen on the Watsfic discord, qwp

Hey everyone,

**It is with great pride that I announce WATSFIC's 50ᵗʰ Anniversary!** On January 13th, 1976, we were officially recognized by the Federation of Students as a student club. For 50-years since then we have been nerding out to all facets of Sci-Fi and Fantasy. From the original release of Star Wars and the animated Lord of the Rings films, to Dungeons and Dragons, Magic: The Gathering, and Wargaming.

To celebrate our first half-century as a club at UW, **we are hosting our 50ᵗʰ Anniversary Event on March 7ᵗʰ. Join us from 11 AM to 11 PM in MC 4041 and 4042** as we take a walk down memory lane. With stops along Ravenloft and the White Plume Mountain, glimpses of the wonders and horrors of space with Mothership and Warhammer, casual pitstops with Board Games and Magic: The Gathering, and some nice R&R complete with classic films and painting.

**Please Sign-Up using this form :**
Walk-Ins are welcome, however, we cannot guarantee space for everyone at every activity.

**We'd like to thank everyone** for helping keep this club going strong for 50 years, **and invite you all, first-year to alumni, to join us in this once in a 50-year celebration** of nerdom at the University of Waterloo!

( Read more... )

hrj

Having made a resolution to try to get more engaged with local politics (on a more-than-just-voting level), I followed up on an email inviting me to meet up with a couple of county and state level representatives. The email clearly stated 4:30 PM today. I just double-checked the original email. But when I arrived at the venue and asked about the event, they said it had been held at 10:30 AM this morning.

The previous time I tried to go to a local meet-up held at a coffee shop, I hung out in the coffee shop all morning (a normal thing for me to do anyway, so not a problem) and the rep never showed. I commented on it to the barista who said, "Oh, yeah, I saw them poke their heads in and look around then they left again."

Contemplating whether to make it 0-for-3 in a couple weeks at a different town hall meet-up I've put on my calendar.

Is it me? Is this a strategy and somehow I need to get on the super-secret "we'll tell you when and where it really is" email list? I mean, this is super-blue California so I don't think my reps are chickening out. But I'm not feeling the love.

Profile

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June 2009

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Page Summary

james_davis_nicoll - How odd
ailbhe - Very sad news
james_davis_nicoll - It could be worse
redbird - bad news about @minoanmiss
james_davis_nicoll - Four Times Familiar Characters Faced Nuclear Armageddon
james_davis_nicoll - Heavy Time (Devil to the Belt, volume 1) by C J Cherryh
denise in dw_advocacy - Victory in Virginia!!
elynne - Dreams of Dead Stars, Part III, ch. 26: Echoes and Paralells
james_davis_nicoll - Bundle of Holding: Campaign Starters
james_davis_nicoll - Aurora Awards are now open
james_davis_nicoll - April in Paris by Ursula K. Le Guin
redbird - New Orleans
wcg - Rabbit! Rabbit! Rabbit!
james_davis_nicoll - March 2026 Patreon Boost
james_davis_nicoll - The Ringworld Engineers (Ringworld, volume 2) By Larry Niven
jennaria - Having Shakespeare Thoughts (as one does)
james_davis_nicoll - Books Received, February 21 — February 27
james_davis_nicoll - February 2026 in Review
james_davis_nicoll - Watsfic's 50th
hrj - Well that was annoying

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