Jay
@tarvolon.bsky.social
SFF book blogger, sports pluralist (mostly Vols, Canes, and Courage, some USA, O’s, Dockers, Ravens, Valencia CF), Dad x3.
Pinned
Jay
@tarvolon.bsky.social
· 2d
Eligibility post:
I’m Hugo-eligible for Best Fan Writer for my blogging at Tar Vol On and work facilitating discussion for the Hugo Readalong and Short Fiction Book Club
🧵
I’m Hugo-eligible for Best Fan Writer for my blogging at Tar Vol On and work facilitating discussion for the Hugo Readalong and Short Fiction Book Club
🧵
Reposted by Jay
Jay's reviews are excellent--he has a rare knack for zeroing in on what makes a story stand out even when it doesn't resonate for him. Great blog with an impressive breadth of short fiction coverage. Check out his work!
Eligibility post:
I’m Hugo-eligible for Best Fan Writer for my blogging at Tar Vol On and work facilitating discussion for the Hugo Readalong and Short Fiction Book Club
🧵
I’m Hugo-eligible for Best Fan Writer for my blogging at Tar Vol On and work facilitating discussion for the Hugo Readalong and Short Fiction Book Club
🧵
January 7, 2026 at 6:43 AM
Jay's reviews are excellent--he has a rare knack for zeroing in on what makes a story stand out even when it doesn't resonate for him. Great blog with an impressive breadth of short fiction coverage. Check out his work!
Reposted by Jay
Next up, we'll keep exploring the sea with a Sunken Transformations theme, hosted by @tarvolon.bsky.social.
Join us in two weeks (January 21st) to discuss these stories:
"Something Rich and Strange" by L.S. Johnson
"Cypress Teeth" by Natasha King
"We Used to Wake to Song" by Leah Ning
Join us in two weeks (January 21st) to discuss these stories:
"Something Rich and Strange" by L.S. Johnson
"Cypress Teeth" by Natasha King
"We Used to Wake to Song" by Leah Ning
January 7, 2026 at 3:06 PM
Next up, we'll keep exploring the sea with a Sunken Transformations theme, hosted by @tarvolon.bsky.social.
Join us in two weeks (January 21st) to discuss these stories:
"Something Rich and Strange" by L.S. Johnson
"Cypress Teeth" by Natasha King
"We Used to Wake to Song" by Leah Ning
Join us in two weeks (January 21st) to discuss these stories:
"Something Rich and Strange" by L.S. Johnson
"Cypress Teeth" by Natasha King
"We Used to Wake to Song" by Leah Ning
Reposted by Jay
"Space Meets Sea" is our first theme for 2026! Come join this discussion of ocean depths and the space between stars.
Our slate:
"Freediver" by Isabel J Kim
"Whale Fall of Yours" by M.M. Olivas
"Fishing the Intergalactic Stream" by Louis Inglis Hall
www.reddit.com/r/Fantasy/co...
Our slate:
"Freediver" by Isabel J Kim
"Whale Fall of Yours" by M.M. Olivas
"Fishing the Intergalactic Stream" by Louis Inglis Hall
www.reddit.com/r/Fantasy/co...
From the Fantasy community on Reddit: Short Fiction Book Club: Space Meets Sea
Explore this post and more from the Fantasy community
www.reddit.com
January 7, 2026 at 3:02 PM
"Space Meets Sea" is our first theme for 2026! Come join this discussion of ocean depths and the space between stars.
Our slate:
"Freediver" by Isabel J Kim
"Whale Fall of Yours" by M.M. Olivas
"Fishing the Intergalactic Stream" by Louis Inglis Hall
www.reddit.com/r/Fantasy/co...
Our slate:
"Freediver" by Isabel J Kim
"Whale Fall of Yours" by M.M. Olivas
"Fishing the Intergalactic Stream" by Louis Inglis Hall
www.reddit.com/r/Fantasy/co...
Reposted by Jay
I'm biased here because Jay helped me start the Short Fiction Book Club project, but the sheer breadth of his reviews has helped us find so many cool stories to share. Check out some of these samples in the thread-- he's a great Best Fan Writer pick.
Eligibility post:
I’m Hugo-eligible for Best Fan Writer for my blogging at Tar Vol On and work facilitating discussion for the Hugo Readalong and Short Fiction Book Club
🧵
I’m Hugo-eligible for Best Fan Writer for my blogging at Tar Vol On and work facilitating discussion for the Hugo Readalong and Short Fiction Book Club
🧵
January 5, 2026 at 10:47 PM
I'm biased here because Jay helped me start the Short Fiction Book Club project, but the sheer breadth of his reviews has helped us find so many cool stories to share. Check out some of these samples in the thread-- he's a great Best Fan Writer pick.
Reposted by Jay
Jay is an excellent reviewer and blogger. His short fiction reviews are stellar. I have no idea how he reads so much.
Eligibility post:
I’m Hugo-eligible for Best Fan Writer for my blogging at Tar Vol On and work facilitating discussion for the Hugo Readalong and Short Fiction Book Club
🧵
I’m Hugo-eligible for Best Fan Writer for my blogging at Tar Vol On and work facilitating discussion for the Hugo Readalong and Short Fiction Book Club
🧵
January 5, 2026 at 6:58 PM
Jay is an excellent reviewer and blogger. His short fiction reviews are stellar. I have no idea how he reads so much.
Reposted by Jay
I rarely weigh in on things outside of my writing bubble, but Jay's a great short spec fic reviewer w/high volume, consistent coverage that isn't in a mag/column. Extremely hard to find blogs like it. Def check out his work if you're curious about the latest in short SFF.
www.tarvolon.com
www.tarvolon.com
I’m a review-heavy blogger whose main goal is to share excellent SFF, especially underappreciated work. I have a particular focus on short fiction, trying my best to capture whatever appeal there is in each work (even work I don’t love), whether it’s The Themes or the storytelling or something else.
January 5, 2026 at 6:13 PM
I rarely weigh in on things outside of my writing bubble, but Jay's a great short spec fic reviewer w/high volume, consistent coverage that isn't in a mag/column. Extremely hard to find blogs like it. Def check out his work if you're curious about the latest in short SFF.
www.tarvolon.com
www.tarvolon.com
Reposted by Jay
I've been following Jay for a little while. His work reviewing short fiction is especially needed!
Eligibility post:
I’m Hugo-eligible for Best Fan Writer for my blogging at Tar Vol On and work facilitating discussion for the Hugo Readalong and Short Fiction Book Club
🧵
I’m Hugo-eligible for Best Fan Writer for my blogging at Tar Vol On and work facilitating discussion for the Hugo Readalong and Short Fiction Book Club
🧵
January 5, 2026 at 4:57 PM
I've been following Jay for a little while. His work reviewing short fiction is especially needed!
What an opportune time to have posted this thread bsky.app/profile/tarv...
u heard sharon, everyone post about their esoteric interests right fucking now. for the good of the community, we need to be hyperfixationmaxxing.
i think this site really needs to figure out how to grow the non-politics verticals (the baseball moment was a good thing!) because i suspect a lot of the bad clusters come out of the political clusters driving 95% of ENG-lang posts
January 5, 2026 at 10:36 PM
What an opportune time to have posted this thread bsky.app/profile/tarv...
Eligibility post:
I’m Hugo-eligible for Best Fan Writer for my blogging at Tar Vol On and work facilitating discussion for the Hugo Readalong and Short Fiction Book Club
🧵
I’m Hugo-eligible for Best Fan Writer for my blogging at Tar Vol On and work facilitating discussion for the Hugo Readalong and Short Fiction Book Club
🧵
January 5, 2026 at 3:49 PM
Eligibility post:
I’m Hugo-eligible for Best Fan Writer for my blogging at Tar Vol On and work facilitating discussion for the Hugo Readalong and Short Fiction Book Club
🧵
I’m Hugo-eligible for Best Fan Writer for my blogging at Tar Vol On and work facilitating discussion for the Hugo Readalong and Short Fiction Book Club
🧵
Reposted by Jay
“Exile’s End” by Carolyn Ives Gilman is a story about museums and artifacts, featuring a minority culture that the majority never quite understands, and shockingly sympathetic characters on both sides of the conflict reactormag.com/exiles-end-c...
Exile's End - Reactor
Exile's End is a complex, sometimes uncomfortable examination of artifact repatriation and cultural appropriation. An artifact of indescribable and irreplaceable beauty created by an "extinct" culture...
reactormag.com
January 4, 2026 at 9:48 PM
“Exile’s End” by Carolyn Ives Gilman is a story about museums and artifacts, featuring a minority culture that the majority never quite understands, and shockingly sympathetic characters on both sides of the conflict reactormag.com/exiles-end-c...
Reposted by Jay
As is my custom, I’ll do a little thread with my short fiction favorites. We’ll start with Octavia E. Butler’s “Bloodchild,” an all-timer that plays with power dynamics, love, and loyalty with wonderfully weird aliens www.baen.com/Chapters/978...
- BLOODCHILD
www.baen.com
January 4, 2026 at 9:47 PM
As is my custom, I’ll do a little thread with my short fiction favorites. We’ll start with Octavia E. Butler’s “Bloodchild,” an all-timer that plays with power dynamics, love, and loyalty with wonderfully weird aliens www.baen.com/Chapters/978...
Reposted by Jay
It’s a new year, which means it’s also a new month! Check out the best things I read and reviewed last month! www.tarvolon.com/2026/01/04/d...
December 2025 Round-up and Short Fiction Miscellany
My December 2025 round-up features reviews of all the sci-fi and fantasy novels, novellas, and short fiction I read this month.
www.tarvolon.com
January 4, 2026 at 9:45 PM
It’s a new year, which means it’s also a new month! Check out the best things I read and reviewed last month! www.tarvolon.com/2026/01/04/d...
See what I mean
I am too scarred by the last two weeks to be too excited about a Canes lead.
January 5, 2026 at 12:22 AM
See what I mean
I am too scarred by the last two weeks to be too excited about a Canes lead.
January 5, 2026 at 12:10 AM
I am too scarred by the last two weeks to be too excited about a Canes lead.
It’s a new year, which means it’s also a new month! Check out the best things I read and reviewed last month! www.tarvolon.com/2026/01/04/d...
December 2025 Round-up and Short Fiction Miscellany
My December 2025 round-up features reviews of all the sci-fi and fantasy novels, novellas, and short fiction I read this month.
www.tarvolon.com
January 4, 2026 at 9:45 PM
It’s a new year, which means it’s also a new month! Check out the best things I read and reviewed last month! www.tarvolon.com/2026/01/04/d...
Horrendous sports week. Really glad the real world isn’t just baseline super discouraging right now 🙃
January 4, 2026 at 2:57 AM
Horrendous sports week. Really glad the real world isn’t just baseline super discouraging right now 🙃
The last few weeks of Canes hockey have just been an extended lesson in fragility
January 4, 2026 at 2:10 AM
The last few weeks of Canes hockey have just been an extended lesson in fragility
I think Indiana winning it all is the best narrative, but Ole Miss winning after Kiffin left mid-year or Oregon beating Cristobal in the title game would be pretty nice outcomes as well.
This semifinal is shockingly short on meteor games
This semifinal is shockingly short on meteor games
January 2, 2026 at 3:29 PM
I think Indiana winning it all is the best narrative, but Ole Miss winning after Kiffin left mid-year or Oregon beating Cristobal in the title game would be pretty nice outcomes as well.
This semifinal is shockingly short on meteor games
This semifinal is shockingly short on meteor games
Reposted by Jay
For the first time since I shifted my reading to mostly new releases, I’ve read enough backlist titles to have a proper recommendation list this year.
So check out these 20 backlist gems from my 2025 reading! www.tarvolon.com/2025/12/30/t...
So check out these 20 backlist gems from my 2025 reading! www.tarvolon.com/2025/12/30/t...
Tar Vol's 20 from the Backlist
A recap of my 20 favorite sci-fi and fantasy stories from the backlist that I read in 2025, including novels, novellas, novelettes, and short fiction.
www.tarvolon.com
December 30, 2025 at 3:05 PM
For the first time since I shifted my reading to mostly new releases, I’ve read enough backlist titles to have a proper recommendation list this year.
So check out these 20 backlist gems from my 2025 reading! www.tarvolon.com/2025/12/30/t...
So check out these 20 backlist gems from my 2025 reading! www.tarvolon.com/2025/12/30/t...
Reposted by Jay
With all of a day left in 2025, it's time for one of my favorite articles every year: the college basketball conference play primer. Nearly 13,000 words on all 31 leagues, free at @basketunderreview.bsky.social www.basketunderreview.com/the-2025-26-...
The 2025-26 Conference Play Primer for All 31 Leagues
Happy early New Year, everybody. This is Year Four of a tradition: re-evaluating every single conference at the New Year, both on a national (for multi-bid leagues) and regional (who’s going to actual...
www.basketunderreview.com
December 31, 2025 at 12:52 PM
With all of a day left in 2025, it's time for one of my favorite articles every year: the college basketball conference play primer. Nearly 13,000 words on all 31 leagues, free at @basketunderreview.bsky.social www.basketunderreview.com/the-2025-26-...
Grandmother and grandson at their first #Vols basketball game (and me in the middle generation, who has done this before, but not in a while)
December 31, 2025 at 12:27 AM
Grandmother and grandson at their first #Vols basketball game (and me in the middle generation, who has done this before, but not in a while)
Reposted by Jay
graphic design is my passion. buy my book. or someone elses book. theyre on sale. ok bye
December 30, 2025 at 4:50 PM
graphic design is my passion. buy my book. or someone elses book. theyre on sale. ok bye
Reposted by Jay
Thank you for the NEV shoutout! It's always a pleasure to be reviewed by you Jay!
My 2025 Recommended Reading List is finally ready! Honestly, just writing these descriptions made me excited about this year's sci-fi/fantasy all over again. www.tarvolon.com/2025/12/18/t...
Tar Vol's 2025 Recommended Reading List (Holiday Edition)
Tar Vol's 2025 Recommended Reading List collects the best sci-fi and fantasy fiction to be published in 2025, from novels all the way to short stories.
www.tarvolon.com
December 30, 2025 at 7:27 AM
Thank you for the NEV shoutout! It's always a pleasure to be reviewed by you Jay!
Reposted by Jay
My favorite short story of 2025 is @thomasha.bsky.social's In My Country (clarkesworldmagazine.com/ha_04_25/). The best "political" story I've seen in a long time. Reading J.F. Martel's Reclaiming Art in the Age of Artifice also helped me appreciate this story more over time.
December 30, 2025 at 12:56 PM
My favorite short story of 2025 is @thomasha.bsky.social's In My Country (clarkesworldmagazine.com/ha_04_25/). The best "political" story I've seen in a long time. Reading J.F. Martel's Reclaiming Art in the Age of Artifice also helped me appreciate this story more over time.
For the first time since I shifted my reading to mostly new releases, I’ve read enough backlist titles to have a proper recommendation list this year.
So check out these 20 backlist gems from my 2025 reading! www.tarvolon.com/2025/12/30/t...
So check out these 20 backlist gems from my 2025 reading! www.tarvolon.com/2025/12/30/t...
Tar Vol's 20 from the Backlist
A recap of my 20 favorite sci-fi and fantasy stories from the backlist that I read in 2025, including novels, novellas, novelettes, and short fiction.
www.tarvolon.com
December 30, 2025 at 3:05 PM
For the first time since I shifted my reading to mostly new releases, I’ve read enough backlist titles to have a proper recommendation list this year.
So check out these 20 backlist gems from my 2025 reading! www.tarvolon.com/2025/12/30/t...
So check out these 20 backlist gems from my 2025 reading! www.tarvolon.com/2025/12/30/t...