James Davis Nicoll
@jdnicoll.bsky.social
Reviewer, Essayist, Hugo, Aurora, and Darwin Award finalist.
Was there a subtext of some kind in the latest Murdoch?
November 11, 2025 at 3:45 AM
Was there a subtext of some kind in the latest Murdoch?
Reposted by James Davis Nicoll
Attention @seananmcguire.bsky.social fans! We’re pleased to announce a new mega-collection by Seanan (600+ pages, with 16 never-before-published stories!), Velveteen vs. the Consequences of Her Actions. Full details and preorder info here: subterraneanpress.com/newsannounci...
Announcing VELVETEEN VS. THE CONSEQUENCES OF HER ACTIONS by Seanan McGuire
We’re pleased to announce some of Seanan McGuire’s rarest—and previously unpublished—stories in the new mega-collection (over 600 pages), Velveteen vs. the Consequences of Her ...
subterraneanpress.com
November 10, 2025 at 5:32 PM
Attention @seananmcguire.bsky.social fans! We’re pleased to announce a new mega-collection by Seanan (600+ pages, with 16 never-before-published stories!), Velveteen vs. the Consequences of Her Actions. Full details and preorder info here: subterraneanpress.com/newsannounci...
Good news! The bandits' raven survived!
November 11, 2025 at 2:02 AM
Good news! The bandits' raven survived!
Is it still bluegrass if there's a brass and woodwind section?
November 10, 2025 at 11:55 PM
Is it still bluegrass if there's a brass and woodwind section?
Torn from context:
"Carney has governed so far more like a Progressive Conservative than a Trudeau-style Liberal — despite the $78-billion deficit in last week’s budget."
The last time Canada ran a surplus was under Chretien and Martin. Both Liberals.
www.cbc.ca/news2/intera...
"Carney has governed so far more like a Progressive Conservative than a Trudeau-style Liberal — despite the $78-billion deficit in last week’s budget."
The last time Canada ran a surplus was under Chretien and Martin. Both Liberals.
www.cbc.ca/news2/intera...
Deficits
www.cbc.ca
November 10, 2025 at 11:27 PM
Torn from context:
"Carney has governed so far more like a Progressive Conservative than a Trudeau-style Liberal — despite the $78-billion deficit in last week’s budget."
The last time Canada ran a surplus was under Chretien and Martin. Both Liberals.
www.cbc.ca/news2/intera...
"Carney has governed so far more like a Progressive Conservative than a Trudeau-style Liberal — despite the $78-billion deficit in last week’s budget."
The last time Canada ran a surplus was under Chretien and Martin. Both Liberals.
www.cbc.ca/news2/intera...
In tonight's dinner episode of Superman, an old coot miner patriotically ignores a pushy official's attempt to condemn the coot's mine on the specious grounds that the mine is clearly unsafe. Presumably the bureaucrat is a communist.
In a bizarre twist, the mine collapses, coot inside.
In a bizarre twist, the mine collapses, coot inside.
November 10, 2025 at 10:57 PM
In tonight's dinner episode of Superman, an old coot miner patriotically ignores a pushy official's attempt to condemn the coot's mine on the specious grounds that the mine is clearly unsafe. Presumably the bureaucrat is a communist.
In a bizarre twist, the mine collapses, coot inside.
In a bizarre twist, the mine collapses, coot inside.
Bundle of Holding: Outgunned
This Outgunned Bundle presents Two Little Mice's Outgunned, the tabletop roleplaying game of cinematic action by Riccardo "Rico" Sirignano and Simone Formicola, with art by Daniela Giubellini.
bundleofholding.com/presents/Out...
#BundleOfHolding
This Outgunned Bundle presents Two Little Mice's Outgunned, the tabletop roleplaying game of cinematic action by Riccardo "Rico" Sirignano and Simone Formicola, with art by Daniela Giubellini.
bundleofholding.com/presents/Out...
#BundleOfHolding
Outgunned Bundle
Time for action! This Outgunned Bundle presents Outgunned, the tabletop roleplaying game of cinematic action from Riccardo "Rico" Sirignano and Simone Formicola at Two Little Mice, the Italian designe...
bundleofholding.com
November 10, 2025 at 7:15 PM
Bundle of Holding: Outgunned
This Outgunned Bundle presents Two Little Mice's Outgunned, the tabletop roleplaying game of cinematic action by Riccardo "Rico" Sirignano and Simone Formicola, with art by Daniela Giubellini.
bundleofholding.com/presents/Out...
#BundleOfHolding
This Outgunned Bundle presents Two Little Mice's Outgunned, the tabletop roleplaying game of cinematic action by Riccardo "Rico" Sirignano and Simone Formicola, with art by Daniela Giubellini.
bundleofholding.com/presents/Out...
#BundleOfHolding
2021: The Johnson government proves beyond a shadow of a doubt that herd immunity does exist… but only to shame, and only amongst Tories.
✓ for read, * for intend to read, ! for never heard of it. Or whatever amuses you.
#ClarkeAward
✓ for read, * for intend to read, ! for never heard of it. Or whatever amuses you.
#ClarkeAward
November 10, 2025 at 2:23 PM
2021: The Johnson government proves beyond a shadow of a doubt that herd immunity does exist… but only to shame, and only amongst Tories.
✓ for read, * for intend to read, ! for never heard of it. Or whatever amuses you.
#ClarkeAward
✓ for read, * for intend to read, ! for never heard of it. Or whatever amuses you.
#ClarkeAward
I started playing tabletop roleplaying games in September 1980, which means I've been playing for 45 years, half of which is 22.5, which means everything before March 2002 falls into the first half of my RPGing experience.
Math is stupid.
Math is stupid.
November 10, 2025 at 5:08 AM
I started playing tabletop roleplaying games in September 1980, which means I've been playing for 45 years, half of which is 22.5, which means everything before March 2002 falls into the first half of my RPGing experience.
Math is stupid.
Math is stupid.
Once again, my habit of carrying extra bus fairs paid off.
November 10, 2025 at 4:44 AM
Once again, my habit of carrying extra bus fairs paid off.
Has anyone gamed out the consequences of the Cuban Missile Crisis going hot?
November 10, 2025 at 12:05 AM
Has anyone gamed out the consequences of the Cuban Missile Crisis going hot?
Wouldn't it be hilarious if the cause of intercontinental high-speed rail in the xUS was Trump killing air travel?
November 9, 2025 at 3:19 PM
Wouldn't it be hilarious if the cause of intercontinental high-speed rail in the xUS was Trump killing air travel?
Interestingly, I don't get hassled about this at work, even though masking dropped below 3% in theatre audiences years ago.
In addition to not shaving off more cognitive function from Covid, I haven't had an incapacitating asthma attack in half a decade.
In addition to not shaving off more cognitive function from Covid, I haven't had an incapacitating asthma attack in half a decade.
Sometimes when people ask me why I’m wearing a mask I say I’m traveling or have some important thing soon and can’t afford to get sick and miss it and that’s pretty much always true but I think it would be nice if it were more normalized to just say “I don’t want to get sick” and leave it at that
November 9, 2025 at 2:29 PM
Interestingly, I don't get hassled about this at work, even though masking dropped below 3% in theatre audiences years ago.
In addition to not shaving off more cognitive function from Covid, I haven't had an incapacitating asthma attack in half a decade.
In addition to not shaving off more cognitive function from Covid, I haven't had an incapacitating asthma attack in half a decade.
The Gods of Mars (Barsoom, volume 2) by Edgar Rice Burroughs
John Carter of Mars returns... to the valley of no return!
jamesdavisnicoll.com/review/work-...
John Carter of Mars returns... to the valley of no return!
jamesdavisnicoll.com/review/work-...
Work and Pray
1913’s The Gods of Mars is the second volume in Edgar Rice Burroughs’ Barsoom series.
Tragically separated from his beloved Martian Princess Deja Thoris when he was transported back to Earth, John Car...
jamesdavisnicoll.com
November 9, 2025 at 1:51 PM
The Gods of Mars (Barsoom, volume 2) by Edgar Rice Burroughs
John Carter of Mars returns... to the valley of no return!
jamesdavisnicoll.com/review/work-...
John Carter of Mars returns... to the valley of no return!
jamesdavisnicoll.com/review/work-...
I'm working my way through Outgunned: Adventure. Pulp adventure. Indiana Jones stuff.
So I have an idea for an adventure, in which our brave action archaeologists try to locate and retrieve certain invaluable historical relics so they can be preserved and studied in proper museums.
(con't)
So I have an idea for an adventure, in which our brave action archaeologists try to locate and retrieve certain invaluable historical relics so they can be preserved and studied in proper museums.
(con't)
November 9, 2025 at 3:33 AM
I'm working my way through Outgunned: Adventure. Pulp adventure. Indiana Jones stuff.
So I have an idea for an adventure, in which our brave action archaeologists try to locate and retrieve certain invaluable historical relics so they can be preserved and studied in proper museums.
(con't)
So I have an idea for an adventure, in which our brave action archaeologists try to locate and retrieve certain invaluable historical relics so they can be preserved and studied in proper museums.
(con't)
Probably for the best The Man Who Laughs is too obscure to give Target execs ideas.
"Store employees are now required to smile if they are within 10 feet of a shopper.
They also must make eye contact with and wave to or greet the customer.
If they’re within four feet, the employee should ask how the customer’s day is going or if they need help."
🙄 Won't stop the boycott, y'all.
They also must make eye contact with and wave to or greet the customer.
If they’re within four feet, the employee should ask how the customer’s day is going or if they need help."
🙄 Won't stop the boycott, y'all.
Target is now requiring its employees to smile more
As the holiday season fast approaches, Target is urging its employees to add a little more “jolly” to their work routine.
www.wilx.com
November 9, 2025 at 12:11 AM
Probably for the best The Man Who Laughs is too obscure to give Target execs ideas.
My good deed today was letting a barn cat turned house cat outside so it could go fight crunchy fallen leaves.
(With permission: it's an indoor/outdoor farm cat)
(With permission: it's an indoor/outdoor farm cat)
November 8, 2025 at 9:29 PM
My good deed today was letting a barn cat turned house cat outside so it could go fight crunchy fallen leaves.
(With permission: it's an indoor/outdoor farm cat)
(With permission: it's an indoor/outdoor farm cat)
So, I've never seen a photo of Dashiell Hammett before today. This is him in 1951, when he would have been in his mid-50s.
November 8, 2025 at 4:52 PM
So, I've never seen a photo of Dashiell Hammett before today. This is him in 1951, when he would have been in his mid-50s.
Books Received, October 1 — October 7
Six books new to me: two fantasy, one science fiction, one that seems to be a mix of both, one horror, and one non-fiction. First four!
jamesdavisnicoll.com/post/books-r...
Six books new to me: two fantasy, one science fiction, one that seems to be a mix of both, one horror, and one non-fiction. First four!
jamesdavisnicoll.com/post/books-r...
November 8, 2025 at 2:59 PM
Books Received, October 1 — October 7
Six books new to me: two fantasy, one science fiction, one that seems to be a mix of both, one horror, and one non-fiction. First four!
jamesdavisnicoll.com/post/books-r...
Six books new to me: two fantasy, one science fiction, one that seems to be a mix of both, one horror, and one non-fiction. First four!
jamesdavisnicoll.com/post/books-r...
Sometimes I wonder what ever happens to those political and religious crazies Canada exports to the US. Ah, it'll never come back to haunt us.
November 8, 2025 at 4:50 AM
Sometimes I wonder what ever happens to those political and religious crazies Canada exports to the US. Ah, it'll never come back to haunt us.
Reposted by James Davis Nicoll
A piece by me on Lucius Shepard's stories of brutal, hallucinatory war in Latin America.
foreignpolicy.com/2025/11/07/l...
foreignpolicy.com/2025/11/07/l...
The Forgotten Visionary of U.S. War in Latin America
Lucius Shepard’s hallucinogenic stories anticipated Trump’s war fantasies.
foreignpolicy.com
November 7, 2025 at 7:27 PM
A piece by me on Lucius Shepard's stories of brutal, hallucinatory war in Latin America.
foreignpolicy.com/2025/11/07/l...
foreignpolicy.com/2025/11/07/l...
Our Lady of Mysterious Ailments (Edinburgh Nights, volume 2) by T. L. Huchu
Discovering what she expected to be a lucrative new job is instead an internship, Ropa Moyo tries to pay her bill by resorting to her avocation of detective.
jamesdavisnicoll.com/review/pay-m...
Discovering what she expected to be a lucrative new job is instead an internship, Ropa Moyo tries to pay her bill by resorting to her avocation of detective.
jamesdavisnicoll.com/review/pay-m...
Pay My Bills
2022’s Our Lady of Mysterious Ailments is the second volume in T. L. Huchu’s Edinburgh Nights near-future fantasy series.
Ropa Moyo arrives at what she hopes will be a lucrative new job working for Si...
jamesdavisnicoll.com
November 7, 2025 at 2:10 PM
Our Lady of Mysterious Ailments (Edinburgh Nights, volume 2) by T. L. Huchu
Discovering what she expected to be a lucrative new job is instead an internship, Ropa Moyo tries to pay her bill by resorting to her avocation of detective.
jamesdavisnicoll.com/review/pay-m...
Discovering what she expected to be a lucrative new job is instead an internship, Ropa Moyo tries to pay her bill by resorting to her avocation of detective.
jamesdavisnicoll.com/review/pay-m...
I am watching old George Reeves Superman episodes. So far most of the episodes have involved criminals using ostentatiously convoluted communications systems that catch the attention of the Daily Planet Crew... except that one where Lois Lane arrives at a rural hotel to discover (con't)
November 7, 2025 at 4:26 AM
I am watching old George Reeves Superman episodes. So far most of the episodes have involved criminals using ostentatiously convoluted communications systems that catch the attention of the Daily Planet Crew... except that one where Lois Lane arrives at a rural hotel to discover (con't)
Wait, does PP's fumble mean this _isn't_ a confidence vote?
November 7, 2025 at 3:54 AM
Wait, does PP's fumble mean this _isn't_ a confidence vote?