Joel Stainer
@joelstainer.bsky.social
Currently my random interests are post-apocalyptic and disaster fiction, economics, and running. Lots of other things distract me as well.
Started Doomsday Book by Connie Willis. Gave it 90 minutes on audiobook. Realized I dont have it in me to give it another 24.5 hours. I've done Blackout and All Clear. I know what I am in for. Anxiety filled historians who cant do anything right and stress out over EVERYTHING.
January 13, 2026 at 4:28 PM
Started Doomsday Book by Connie Willis. Gave it 90 minutes on audiobook. Realized I dont have it in me to give it another 24.5 hours. I've done Blackout and All Clear. I know what I am in for. Anxiety filled historians who cant do anything right and stress out over EVERYTHING.
Wrapped up Binti last night. A decent little novella that was not too bad. Bit of a cheesy ending. The audiobook narrator was great. Put on my big boy pants and tackling another Connie Willis award winner now.
January 13, 2026 at 12:13 PM
Wrapped up Binti last night. A decent little novella that was not too bad. Bit of a cheesy ending. The audiobook narrator was great. Put on my big boy pants and tackling another Connie Willis award winner now.
Book 2 for 2026 is The Dispossessed by Ursula K Leguin on audiobook. I was a little unsure of the narration at the start but ended up really enjoying this book. Her usual long descriptive passages but they worked better for me in this one. So glad to have "read" this one finally.
January 11, 2026 at 7:08 PM
Book 2 for 2026 is The Dispossessed by Ursula K Leguin on audiobook. I was a little unsure of the narration at the start but ended up really enjoying this book. Her usual long descriptive passages but they worked better for me in this one. So glad to have "read" this one finally.
First completed book of the year is Sphere by Michael Crichton. It was not great. Sure, some fun action, but I hated basically every whiny dumb character in the book. I wanted them to just get imploded under the ocean. The dialogue was painful. This was for book club. It was at least an easy read.
gor.book
January 9, 2026 at 1:45 PM
First completed book of the year is Sphere by Michael Crichton. It was not great. Sure, some fun action, but I hated basically every whiny dumb character in the book. I wanted them to just get imploded under the ocean. The dialogue was painful. This was for book club. It was at least an easy read.
So nice to have @mediaindigena.bsky.social podcast back. Every time I listen to it I am reminded of my ignorance on these issues (but in a good way).
January 8, 2026 at 3:01 PM
So nice to have @mediaindigena.bsky.social podcast back. Every time I listen to it I am reminded of my ignorance on these issues (but in a good way).
Ok Bluesky, help me understand Rakesfall by Vajra Chandrasekera. Typically I can wrap my head around books that I don't like and see why others do like them, or why they are considered interesting or well written books. I can also admit I like badly written books (ie Ready Player One).
January 3, 2026 at 1:41 AM
Ok Bluesky, help me understand Rakesfall by Vajra Chandrasekera. Typically I can wrap my head around books that I don't like and see why others do like them, or why they are considered interesting or well written books. I can also admit I like badly written books (ie Ready Player One).
Wrapped up Stranger Things last night. About as expected. Cheesy, big battle, feel good for most storylines, some emotions. Was not expecting a masterpiece.
January 2, 2026 at 3:28 PM
Wrapped up Stranger Things last night. About as expected. Cheesy, big battle, feel good for most storylines, some emotions. Was not expecting a masterpiece.
I had plans to wrap up The Snow Queen as my final book of 2025 but I couldn't stay awake long enough, so it becomes the first completed read of 2026. This was entertaining but certainly dated and overlong. I can see why it has its place in people's memories. I will leave the series at one book.
January 1, 2026 at 3:29 PM
I had plans to wrap up The Snow Queen as my final book of 2025 but I couldn't stay awake long enough, so it becomes the first completed read of 2026. This was entertaining but certainly dated and overlong. I can see why it has its place in people's memories. I will leave the series at one book.
Well, I reviewed what I read from 2025. A few of the highlights were the Broken Earth Trilogy by NK Jemisin, Piranesi by Susanna Clarke, The Sea and Summer by George Turner, and The Everlasting by Alix Harrow. Maybe a bit of decency bias there. Always tough to avoid that.
December 29, 2025 at 9:27 PM
Well, I reviewed what I read from 2025. A few of the highlights were the Broken Earth Trilogy by NK Jemisin, Piranesi by Susanna Clarke, The Sea and Summer by George Turner, and The Everlasting by Alix Harrow. Maybe a bit of decency bias there. Always tough to avoid that.
Reposted by Joel Stainer
Charles L. Harness (1915 - 2005) was born on this day. Last year, I wrote about his "widescreen baroque" pulp adventure The Paradox Men (1953).
Schlock and awe: The Paradox Men (1953) by Charles L. Harness
A swashbuckling classic of elevated pulp, steeped in Einstein’s physics and the historical theories of Arnold J. Toynbee.
www.andyjohnson.xyz
December 29, 2025 at 3:52 PM
Charles L. Harness (1915 - 2005) was born on this day. Last year, I wrote about his "widescreen baroque" pulp adventure The Paradox Men (1953).
Will likely finish a couple more books before the year is up but it was a great year for reading. 110 books so far this year and a number of excellent books. Lots of good suggestions by people as well that led to some surprising finds.
December 28, 2025 at 2:19 PM
Will likely finish a couple more books before the year is up but it was a great year for reading. 110 books so far this year and a number of excellent books. Lots of good suggestions by people as well that led to some surprising finds.
Still a few sickies in our house right now so kept the thinking to a minimum in our games. Some Love Letter, Codenames, and Sushi Go. Good times.
December 28, 2025 at 12:59 AM
Still a few sickies in our house right now so kept the thinking to a minimum in our games. Some Love Letter, Codenames, and Sushi Go. Good times.
The Skeptic's Guide to the Universe has been on my podcast rotation for many years. In the past 4 years we have played the 'Science or Fiction' Segment at home as a family and kept score. This year it is coming down to the final episode with two of us tied. Such drama! www.theskepticsguide.org
The Skeptics Guide to the Universe
www.theskepticsguide.org
December 27, 2025 at 3:31 PM
The Skeptic's Guide to the Universe has been on my podcast rotation for many years. In the past 4 years we have played the 'Science or Fiction' Segment at home as a family and kept score. This year it is coming down to the final episode with two of us tied. Such drama! www.theskepticsguide.org
Listened to Le Guin's 'The Lathe of Heaven' over the past couple days. Some interesting themes but I didn't quite like this one as much, and I can't quite place why. Maybe dreaming and all of the woo woo that goes along with it is a bad fit for my personality.
December 27, 2025 at 2:13 PM
Listened to Le Guin's 'The Lathe of Heaven' over the past couple days. Some interesting themes but I didn't quite like this one as much, and I can't quite place why. Maybe dreaming and all of the woo woo that goes along with it is a bad fit for my personality.
Almost turned The Snow Queen into a live action sequence this morning as the family realized when waking up that our furnace was not turning on. IT skills kicked in as I turned it on and off again a few times and now we have heat. That was about the extent of my furnace skills so hope it sticks!
December 25, 2025 at 5:26 PM
Almost turned The Snow Queen into a live action sequence this morning as the family realized when waking up that our furnace was not turning on. IT skills kicked in as I turned it on and off again a few times and now we have heat. That was about the extent of my furnace skills so hope it sticks!
Freezing cold and snowy on Christmas Day. Before the rest of the house wakes up I'll spend a little time with the Snow Queen.
December 25, 2025 at 2:41 PM
Freezing cold and snowy on Christmas Day. Before the rest of the house wakes up I'll spend a little time with the Snow Queen.
Squeaked in 'They'd Rather be Right' by Clifton and Riley before Santa comes over. This 1955 Hugo winner had some intriguing ideas bubbling throughout but really suffered from too much tell and not enough show. It's too bad as I think it could have been something pretty cool if handled differently.
December 24, 2025 at 11:50 PM
Squeaked in 'They'd Rather be Right' by Clifton and Riley before Santa comes over. This 1955 Hugo winner had some intriguing ideas bubbling throughout but really suffered from too much tell and not enough show. It's too bad as I think it could have been something pretty cool if handled differently.
Going from a 2025 Fantasy Romance book to the 1955 They'd Rather be Right has been rather jarring to say the least.
December 23, 2025 at 1:51 PM
Going from a 2025 Fantasy Romance book to the 1955 They'd Rather be Right has been rather jarring to say the least.
Wandered way out of my reading zone and took up 'The Everlasting' by Alix E. Harrow. Fantasy Romance would normally have little interest for me but a lot of people who I follow seem to have spoken highly of it. I can now see why. It's a book I instantly wanted to discuss once I finished it.
December 22, 2025 at 12:45 PM
Wandered way out of my reading zone and took up 'The Everlasting' by Alix E. Harrow. Fantasy Romance would normally have little interest for me but a lot of people who I follow seem to have spoken highly of it. I can now see why. It's a book I instantly wanted to discuss once I finished it.
5th book of December is Ammonite by Nicola Griffith. A wonderful world to inhabit for a while and I enjoyed her take on a planet of only women. A little hand wavy in parts when it came to how things operated (particularly how children were conceived) which knocks it down a bit for me personally.
December 19, 2025 at 1:28 PM
5th book of December is Ammonite by Nicola Griffith. A wonderful world to inhabit for a while and I enjoyed her take on a planet of only women. A little hand wavy in parts when it came to how things operated (particularly how children were conceived) which knocks it down a bit for me personally.
Mind Blown. After all these years I just found out that despite what Outkast says, you're not supposed to shake a Polaroid.
December 14, 2025 at 6:27 AM
Mind Blown. After all these years I just found out that despite what Outkast says, you're not supposed to shake a Polaroid.
If you're looking to add another podcast to your listening habits I would recommend Unknown Worlds of the Merril Collection. They recently spun back up again with a good interview with @waub.bsky.social His books are great and worth checking out.
December 12, 2025 at 3:38 PM
If you're looking to add another podcast to your listening habits I would recommend Unknown Worlds of the Merril Collection. They recently spun back up again with a good interview with @waub.bsky.social His books are great and worth checking out.
Local book club chose The Talented Mr Ripley this month. Just finished it and it was a decent little book. Not my favourite genre but very easy to read and had some interesting moments. I never watched the movie so didn't quite know where it was headed. Back to SF now.
December 12, 2025 at 1:26 PM
Local book club chose The Talented Mr Ripley this month. Just finished it and it was a decent little book. Not my favourite genre but very easy to read and had some interesting moments. I never watched the movie so didn't quite know where it was headed. Back to SF now.
Really enjoying the @coodestreet.bsky.social Advent Interviews this year. Perfect "drive to work" length and get to hear from all sorts of great people.
December 9, 2025 at 9:25 PM
Really enjoying the @coodestreet.bsky.social Advent Interviews this year. Perfect "drive to work" length and get to hear from all sorts of great people.
Really love The Sea and Summer by George Turner. Enjoyed the characters, it was extremely readable, and I found myself nodding along at several points. Also read a bit about Turner's life which could be a story itself.
December 8, 2025 at 12:13 PM
Really love The Sea and Summer by George Turner. Enjoyed the characters, it was extremely readable, and I found myself nodding along at several points. Also read a bit about Turner's life which could be a story itself.