Paul Semel
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paulsemel.bsky.social
Paul Semel
@paulsemel.bsky.social
270 followers 82 following 2K posts
Freelance writer for hire: music, movies, books, comics, video games, TV… (he/him)
beerhound [at] aol [dot] com
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paulsemel.bsky.social
Thanks to moments laborious and dull, and mechanics that are flawed and pointless, the trippy first-person action / construction video game "Voidtrain" never fulfills the potential of its interesting premise. Here's the link to my review.
paulsemel.com/voidtrain-re...
🎮🚉🔫🪵🪵🪵🪵
"Voidtrain" Review ... .
"Voidtrain" Review \ A critical look a this trippy first-person action / construction game for Xbox Series X|S and PC.
paulsemel.com
November 10, 2025 at 6:13 PM
paulsemel.bsky.social
Started reading Wendy N. Wagner's "Girl In The Creek."
amzn.to/4qDKydu
📖🍄🏃‍♀️
Is giving me serious "Alan Wake," "Annihilation" (VanderMeer) vibes.
#books #reading #horror #BookSky
Girl in the Creek
Amazon.com: Girl in the Creek: 9781250908643: Wagner, Wendy N.: Books
amzn.to
November 10, 2025 at 7:59 AM
paulsemel.bsky.social
Started reading Ai Qing's "Selected Poems."
amzn.to/4qNlCjS
📖🖊️
Here's hoping more are like "My Season," the highlight of the first 20 pages.
#books #reading #poems #poetry @crownpublishing.bsky.social #BookSky #PoetrySky
Selected Poems
Selected Poems [Ai Qing, Dorsett, Robert, Ai Weiwei] on Amazon.com. *FREE* shipping on qualifying offers. Selected Poems
amzn.to
November 10, 2025 at 5:48 AM
paulsemel.bsky.social
Read Nicholas Binge's "Extremity" tonight.
amzn.to/47QaUS0
📖🧑‍🦱🧑‍🦱
This was a super good #SciFi #Thriller with some rather clever bits I did not see coming.
#books #reading #ScienceFiction @bingewriting.bsky.social #BookSky
Extremity
Extremity [Binge, Nicholas] on Amazon.com. *FREE* shipping on qualifying offers. Extremity
amzn.to
November 9, 2025 at 7:31 AM
paulsemel.bsky.social
Finished reading Rosanna Warren's "Hindsight: Poems."
amzn.to/3KcwQxz
📖🖊️
Not everything worked, but a lot did, and a lot of them were impressive.
#Books #Reading #Poems #Poetry @wwnorton.com #BookSky #PoetrySky
Hindsight: Poems
Hindsight: Poems [Warren, Rosanna] on Amazon.com. *FREE* shipping on qualifying offers. Hindsight: Poems
amzn.to
November 9, 2025 at 5:45 AM
paulsemel.bsky.social
Finished reading Woody Allen's "What's With Baum?"
amzn.to/4opMIvR
📖😱
A little too long (and yet, only 186 pages), but still good in a mid-career comedic drama movie kind of way.
#books #reading #BookSky
What's with Baum?
What's with Baum? [Allen, Woody] on Amazon.com. *FREE* shipping on qualifying offers. What's with Baum?
amzn.to
November 8, 2025 at 7:43 AM
paulsemel.bsky.social
Started reading Woody Allen's "What's With Baum?"
amzn.to/4opMIvR
📖😱
Reads like his early works (both scripts and prose).
#books #reading #BookSky
What's with Baum?
What's with Baum? [Allen, Woody] on Amazon.com. *FREE* shipping on qualifying offers. What's with Baum?
amzn.to
November 7, 2025 at 8:22 AM
paulsemel.bsky.social
Read Nghi Vo's "A Mouthful Of Dust: The Singing Hills Cycle" tonight.
amzn.to/4qc4t2K
📖👄
While I've enjoyed all of these books, this one may be my favorite. Must've been the cannibalism.
#books #reading #fantasy #BookSky
A Mouthful of Dust (The Singing Hills Cycle, 6)
Amazon.com: A Mouthful of Dust (The Singing Hills Cycle, 6): 9781250386403: Vo, Nghi: Books
amzn.to
November 7, 2025 at 7:00 AM
paulsemel.bsky.social
Started reading Rosanna Warren's "Hindsight: Poems."
amzn.to/3KcwQxz
📖🖊️
First book of hers I've read; so far, I'm impressed.
#Books #Reading #Poems #Poetry @wwnorton.com #BookSky #PoetrySky
Hindsight: Poems
Hindsight: Poems [Warren, Rosanna] on Amazon.com. *FREE* shipping on qualifying offers. Hindsight: Poems
amzn.to
November 7, 2025 at 5:43 AM
paulsemel.bsky.social
Like many boxed sets of classic albums, The Jimi Hendrix Experience's "Bold As Love" — a new boxed set of their second album, "Axis: Bold As Love" — is a mixed bag, but has plenty fans of this band, and this album, will want to keep. Here's the link to my review.
paulsemel.com/the-jimi-hen...
🎶🎸🎻🥁💿
The Jimi Hendrix Experience: "Bold As Love" Review ... .
The Jimi Hendrix Experience: "Bold As Love" Review \ A critical look at this "Axis: Bold As Love" Boxed Set.
paulsemel.com
November 6, 2025 at 6:15 PM
paulsemel.bsky.social
Finished reading Charles Soule's "Star Wars: The High Republic: Trials Of The Jedi."
amzn.to/44aFDrf
📖⚔️🚀
While I think #TheHighRepublic saga went on too long — partially my fault for reading every book — this did manage to bring it to a satisfying and interesting conclusion.
Star Wars: Trials of the Jedi (The High Republic) (Star Wars: The High Republic)
Star Wars: Trials of the Jedi (The High Republic) (Star Wars: The High Republic) [Soule, Charles] on Amazon.com. *FREE* shipping on qualifying offers. Star Wars: Trials of the Jedi (The High Republic) (Star Wars: The High Republic)
amzn.to
November 6, 2025 at 7:59 AM
paulsemel.bsky.social
In my new interview with author Joelle Presby about her #ScienceFiction novel "Ringer," she explains how it's connected to her previous #SciFi novel, "The Dabare Snake Launcher," but isn't a sequel and is the start of a new series.
paulsemel.com/exclusive-in...
📖🪐
Exclusive Interview: "Ringer" Author Joelle Presby ... .
Exclusive Interview: "Ringer" Author Joelle Presby \ In which she talks about this science fiction novel.
paulsemel.com
November 4, 2025 at 5:38 PM
paulsemel.bsky.social
Here's the link to that cool new #Godzilla short film, "Fest Godzilla Ⅱ: Shinjuku Burning," in which a certain hotel loses his reservation, and he doesn't take it well.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=JKHx...
🏩🦖
www.youtube.com
November 3, 2025 at 9:59 PM
paulsemel.bsky.social
The open world adventure game #TheOuterWorlds2 is like a sci-fi version of #Avowed, a less serious #Starfield, and a less ridiculous #Borderlands4. What it isn't, unfortunately, is as good as the first game. Here's the link to my review.
paulsemel.com/the-outer-wo...
🎮🚀🪐🔫
"The Outer Worlds 2" Review ... .
"The Outer Worlds 2" Review \ A critical assessment of this sci-fi space opera role-playing game with both ranged and melee combat.
paulsemel.com
November 3, 2025 at 6:07 PM
paulsemel.bsky.social
Started reading Charles Soule's "Star Wars: The High Republic: Trials Of The Jedi."
amzn.to/44aFDrf
📖⚔️🚀
Curious to see how this ends #TheHighRepublic saga.
#books #reading #ScienceFiction #SciFi #SpaceFantasy #StarWars @charlessoule.bsky.social #BookSky
Star Wars: Trials of the Jedi (The High Republic) (Star Wars: The High Republic)
Star Wars: Trials of the Jedi (The High Republic) (Star Wars: The High Republic) [Soule, Charles] on Amazon.com. *FREE* shipping on qualifying offers. Star Wars: Trials of the Jedi (The High Republic) (Star Wars: The High Republic)
amzn.to
November 3, 2025 at 8:09 AM
paulsemel.bsky.social
Finished reading Nnedi Okorafor's "Ikenga."
amzn.to/47nXlYw
📖🖊️
A story and nicely curvy story with just a little bit of bitter edge. Good stuff.
#books #reading #fantasy @nnedi.bsky.social @vikingbooks.bsky.social #BookSky
Ikenga
Nnamdi's father was a good chief of police, perhaps the best Kalaria had ever had. He was determined to root out the criminals that had invaded the town. But then he was murdered, and most people beli...
amzn.to
November 3, 2025 at 6:19 AM
paulsemel.bsky.social
Started reading Nathaniel Mackey's "Blue Fasa: Poems."
amzn.to/4hAJymd
📖🖊️
Nothing really grabbed me in the first 20 pages, but it's a long book.
#books #reading #BookSky #PoetSky
Blue Fasa
Amazon.com: Blue Fasa: 9780811224451: Mackey, Nathaniel: Books
amzn.to
November 2, 2025 at 4:55 AM
paulsemel.bsky.social
Started reading Nnedi Okorafor's "Ikenga."
amzn.to/47nXlYw
📖🖊️
Really interesting so far. Interesting and a little heartbreaking.
#books #reading #fantasy @nnedi.bsky.social @vikingbooks.bsky.social #BookSky
Ikenga
Amazon.com: Ikenga: 9780593113530: Okorafor, Nnedi: Books
amzn.to
November 1, 2025 at 7:31 AM
paulsemel.bsky.social
Finished reading Megan E. O'Keefe's "The Two Lies Of Faven Sythe."
amzn.to/48pUNv7
📖🚀🏴‍☠️💎
This was a very engaging — and often weird and inventive — #SciFi pirate #SpaceOpera story. And yet another good one from O'Keefe.
#books #reading #ScienceFiction @meganeokeefe.bsky.social
#BookSky
The Two Lies of Faven Sythe
The Two Lies of Faven Sythe - Kindle edition by O'Keefe, Megan E.. Download it once and read it on your Kindle device, PC, phones or tablets. Use features like bookmarks, note taking and highlighting while reading The Two Lies of Faven Sythe.
amzn.to
November 1, 2025 at 6:01 AM
paulsemel.bsky.social
Finished reading Ariana Reines' "The Cow: Poems."
amzn.to/4eEde0r
📖🐄
Not everything worked, but the stuff that did worked really well.
#books #reading #poems #poetry #BookSky #PoetrySky
The Cow
The Cow [Reines, Ariana] on Amazon.com. *FREE* shipping on qualifying offers. The Cow
amzn.to
November 1, 2025 at 4:44 AM
paulsemel.bsky.social
'Tis the season to get spooky. So won't you please join me, Raymond, and Mac as we discuss our favorite Halloween movies, TV shows, and video games on the new episode of "RPad TV 3000." Unless you don't have the braaaaaaaaaains...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=DUj2...
👻🧌🎃😱
Our Favorite Halloween TV Shows, Videogames, and Movies | RPadTV Episode 123
YouTube video by RPadTV
www.youtube.com
October 31, 2025 at 5:36 PM
paulsemel.bsky.social
In my new interview with author Max Gladstone about his epic #fantasy novel "Dead Hand Rule," he not only talks about how it was originally part of his previous novel, "Wicked Problems," but also how his "Craft Wars" trilogy will now go one more book.
paulsemel.com/exclusive-in...
📖🪄
Exclusive Interview: "Dead Hand Rule" Author Max Gladstone ... .
Exclusive Interview: "Dead Hand Rule" Author Max Gladstone \ In which he talks about the new book in his fantasy series, "The Craft Wars."
paulsemel.com
October 29, 2025 at 5:28 PM
paulsemel.bsky.social
Started reading Megan E. O'Keefe's "The Two Lies Of Faven Sythe."
amzn.to/48pUNv7
📖🚀🏴‍☠️
Funny (and unintentional) that I'd start reading a #SciFi novel about space pirates days after I start rewatching #StarWarsSkeletonCrew. And just as much fun.
#ScienceFiction @meganeokeefe.bsky.social
The Two Lies of Faven Sythe
The Two Lies of Faven Sythe - Kindle edition by O'Keefe, Megan E.. Download it once and read it on your Kindle device, PC, phones or tablets. Use features like bookmarks, note taking and highlighting while reading The Two Lies of Faven Sythe.
amzn.to
October 29, 2025 at 7:28 AM
paulsemel.bsky.social
Started reading Ariana Reines' "The Cow: Poems."
amzn.to/4eEde0r
📖🐄
Hints of goodness (and rawness) already.
#books #reading #poems #poetry #BookSky #PoetrySky
The Cow
The Cow [Reines, Ariana] on Amazon.com. *FREE* shipping on qualifying offers. The Cow
amzn.to
October 29, 2025 at 5:26 AM
paulsemel.bsky.social
Read Premee Mohamed's "The First Thousand Trees" tonight.
amzn.to/47BuqS6
📖🌳🌳🌳
An interesting spin on a #PostApocalyptic survival tale, and a really good end to this series.
#books #reading #ScienceFiction #SciFi #CliFi @premeemohamed.com @ecwpress.bsky.social #BookSky
The First Thousand Trees (The Annual Migration of Clouds)
The First Thousand Trees (The Annual Migration of Clouds) [Mohamed, Premee] on Amazon.com. *FREE* shipping on qualifying offers. The First Thousand Trees (The Annual Migration of Clouds)
amzn.to
October 28, 2025 at 7:00 AM