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.
Just found out about local Edmonton Publisher @mythicroads.bsky.social and grabbed two of their books that I ran across today. Always fun to support smaller publishers and new authors, particularly when they are local!
November 22, 2025 at 8:37 PM
Just found out about local Edmonton Publisher @mythicroads.bsky.social and grabbed two of their books that I ran across today. Always fun to support smaller publishers and new authors, particularly when they are local!
A couple hundred pages into Stand on Zanzibar and it's clear that I appreciate substance over style in my stories. While the format of this book is interesting, the characters are just too flat to really root for/against. This format can work with great characters - see The Grapes of Wrath.
November 14, 2025 at 4:23 PM
A couple hundred pages into Stand on Zanzibar and it's clear that I appreciate substance over style in my stories. While the format of this book is interesting, the characters are just too flat to really root for/against. This format can work with great characters - see The Grapes of Wrath.
Needed a reading palate cleanser so broke out this cheesy classic I had last read decades ago. Pure nostalgia. Dragons of Autumn Twilight. Now, back to some SF.
November 11, 2025 at 11:23 PM
Needed a reading palate cleanser so broke out this cheesy classic I had last read decades ago. Pure nostalgia. Dragons of Autumn Twilight. Now, back to some SF.
My home for the next 24 hours.
November 1, 2025 at 2:37 PM
My home for the next 24 hours.
I struggled to get through Man Plus by Frederik Pohl. Some interesting ideas but an ending that felt like it mostly came out of nowhere (there was a bit of foreshadowing, I guess) and characters I mostly wasn't too interested in. I'm glad to check it off the list.
October 26, 2025 at 9:42 PM
I struggled to get through Man Plus by Frederik Pohl. Some interesting ideas but an ending that felt like it mostly came out of nowhere (there was a bit of foreshadowing, I guess) and characters I mostly wasn't too interested in. I'm glad to check it off the list.
Just finished reading Piranesi Went in with pretty low expectations but absolutely loved it. For a book where people complain about the pacing, I could barely put it down. What other books are written in this style? Would love to hear.
October 17, 2025 at 3:04 AM
Just finished reading Piranesi Went in with pretty low expectations but absolutely loved it. For a book where people complain about the pacing, I could barely put it down. What other books are written in this style? Would love to hear.
Made it 76 pages through The Windup Girl by Paolo Bacigalupi and it's a DNF. No plot and no idea why I should care about the characters. An interesting setting can only carry so much water. Hoping his other books are a bit better.
October 13, 2025 at 4:00 PM
Made it 76 pages through The Windup Girl by Paolo Bacigalupi and it's a DNF. No plot and no idea why I should care about the characters. An interesting setting can only carry so much water. Hoping his other books are a bit better.
Thanksgiving pumpkin decorating contest. Always a fun time!
October 13, 2025 at 12:15 AM
Thanksgiving pumpkin decorating contest. Always a fun time!
Well, this book was a ride. As cheesy as they come, with writing that me laughing out loud. The most corny "manly" men as protagonists, and stereotypical hordes of aliens wanting to wipe out humanity. Four formulaic stories. They were fun but I think that's enough Laumer for me.
October 5, 2025 at 12:55 PM
Well, this book was a ride. As cheesy as they come, with writing that me laughing out loud. The most corny "manly" men as protagonists, and stereotypical hordes of aliens wanting to wipe out humanity. Four formulaic stories. They were fun but I think that's enough Laumer for me.
Oh boy. Working my way through some Keith Laumer stories and he lays the cheesy lines on thick. Before this I had only read Dinosaur Beach, which was entertaining but a similar type of writing. He uses some hilariously bad phrases at times. Almost reminds me of an SF version of The Big Sleep.
October 4, 2025 at 10:17 PM
Oh boy. Working my way through some Keith Laumer stories and he lays the cheesy lines on thick. Before this I had only read Dinosaur Beach, which was entertaining but a similar type of writing. He uses some hilariously bad phrases at times. Almost reminds me of an SF version of The Big Sleep.
Stretching the bounds of my suitcase for the way home but hit up a used bookstore here in Ottawa and snagged a few more for my post-apocalyptic collection. This Deluge/Dawn set of two by S Fowler Wright was not on my list so a new find for me! The Tepper book I had been hunting for in the wild.
October 3, 2025 at 11:33 PM
Stretching the bounds of my suitcase for the way home but hit up a used bookstore here in Ottawa and snagged a few more for my post-apocalyptic collection. This Deluge/Dawn set of two by S Fowler Wright was not on my list so a new find for me! The Tepper book I had been hunting for in the wild.
Down to my last book and still have three days of vacation left, including a train ride and a flight. May have to purchase an additional one somewhere along the way! Oh the horror!
October 3, 2025 at 1:00 PM
Down to my last book and still have three days of vacation left, including a train ride and a flight. May have to purchase an additional one somewhere along the way! Oh the horror!
The Orchid Cage by Herbert Franke was a struggle for me to get through. I didn't care for the protagonists, the slow unfolding of the storyline was plodding and convoluted, and the portrayal of the singular woman was particularly egregious in this story.
October 2, 2025 at 2:01 PM
The Orchid Cage by Herbert Franke was a struggle for me to get through. I didn't care for the protagonists, the slow unfolding of the storyline was plodding and convoluted, and the portrayal of the singular woman was particularly egregious in this story.
When a severed, but living, infant head appears on her dresser one morning, Dr. Trish Russo needs to figure out how to cope with the situation. This is 'The Head' by Robyn Braun. A bizarre, but intriguing, look at how trauma impacts someone, as well as how those around them treat them differently.
September 30, 2025 at 11:10 AM
When a severed, but living, infant head appears on her dresser one morning, Dr. Trish Russo needs to figure out how to cope with the situation. This is 'The Head' by Robyn Braun. A bizarre, but intriguing, look at how trauma impacts someone, as well as how those around them treat them differently.
Spent a couple hours with the Perdido Street Station audiobook and decided that I need to read it to do it justice. Having a hard time understanding anything at all in this format.
September 28, 2025 at 12:13 PM
Spent a couple hours with the Perdido Street Station audiobook and decided that I need to read it to do it justice. Having a hard time understanding anything at all in this format.
An excerpt from 'Resistance and Recognition at Kitigan Zibi' by Dennis Leo Fisher which had me laughing a little too loudly on the plane today.
September 27, 2025 at 7:01 PM
An excerpt from 'Resistance and Recognition at Kitigan Zibi' by Dennis Leo Fisher which had me laughing a little too loudly on the plane today.
Just wrapped up City by Clifford Simak and absolutely loved it. So much to think on about human nature, the future of mankind, philosophy, violence, and more. Highly recommend it.
September 27, 2025 at 4:31 PM
Just wrapped up City by Clifford Simak and absolutely loved it. So much to think on about human nature, the future of mankind, philosophy, violence, and more. Highly recommend it.
Really enjoyed Dark Eden by Chris Beckett. Listened to it on audiobook and did not know anything about it before starting it. Lots of interesting questions raised and while there were some predictable plot tropes, I was engaged on the outcome throughout. Another Clarke winner that landed well.
September 24, 2025 at 12:39 PM
Really enjoyed Dark Eden by Chris Beckett. Listened to it on audiobook and did not know anything about it before starting it. Lots of interesting questions raised and while there were some predictable plot tropes, I was engaged on the outcome throughout. Another Clarke winner that landed well.
Picked up the final book in @premeemohamed.com post-apocalyptic series. Think I may need to go back and read all three of them in one go to wade back into the world she created. Looking forward to it.
September 21, 2025 at 9:47 PM
Picked up the final book in @premeemohamed.com post-apocalyptic series. Think I may need to go back and read all three of them in one go to wade back into the world she created. Looking forward to it.
Wrapped up The Long Walk movie. Overall pretty solid but a pretty weak ending. Still enjoyed it.
September 19, 2025 at 3:32 AM
Wrapped up The Long Walk movie. Overall pretty solid but a pretty weak ending. Still enjoyed it.
Just wrapped up 'The End Of The World As We Know It'. For fans of The Stand its a fantastic romp back into the world Stephen King created. There is something for everyone I would imagine, including some stuff for those who go deep into King's worlds in other books. Quite enjoyed it!
September 14, 2025 at 3:47 PM
Just wrapped up 'The End Of The World As We Know It'. For fans of The Stand its a fantastic romp back into the world Stephen King created. There is something for everyone I would imagine, including some stuff for those who go deep into King's worlds in other books. Quite enjoyed it!
Good advice from Beckett's 'Dark Eden'.
"There was no point in feelings just then. So I made up my mind not to feel anything at all."
"There was no point in feelings just then. So I made up my mind not to feel anything at all."
September 10, 2025 at 12:07 AM
Good advice from Beckett's 'Dark Eden'.
"There was no point in feelings just then. So I made up my mind not to feel anything at all."
"There was no point in feelings just then. So I made up my mind not to feel anything at all."
Yesterday at a local Art and Music Festival here in Edmonton (Strathearn Art Walk was amazing) there was a lone author selling her book. The book is titled 'The Head' and it's by Robyn Braun.
September 8, 2025 at 12:08 AM
Yesterday at a local Art and Music Festival here in Edmonton (Strathearn Art Walk was amazing) there was a lone author selling her book. The book is titled 'The Head' and it's by Robyn Braun.
Check out Andy's podcast. Appetizer length episodes that can give you a great idea of whether a particular Classic SF book will be for you or not. His latest episode gets you quickly up to speed with a well known (possibly? still?) classic.
This week's (slightly delayed) article is now live: exploring the madcap energy of Alfred Bester's teleporting quest for vengeance, The Stars My Destination (1956).
Solar Enemy Number One: The Stars My Destination (1956) by Alfred Bester
A frenzied tale of revenge in a baroque 25th century
www.andyjohnson.xyz
September 7, 2025 at 11:07 PM
Check out Andy's podcast. Appetizer length episodes that can give you a great idea of whether a particular Classic SF book will be for you or not. His latest episode gets you quickly up to speed with a well known (possibly? still?) classic.
Wrapped up Emily Tesh's 'Some Desperate Glory' on audiobook this morning. I knew very little, heading into it. It was more YA than I was expecting. It banged along at a pretty good pace overall, and there were some well-done thoughtful moments on brainwashing and gender roles.
September 7, 2025 at 7:14 PM
Wrapped up Emily Tesh's 'Some Desperate Glory' on audiobook this morning. I knew very little, heading into it. It was more YA than I was expecting. It banged along at a pretty good pace overall, and there were some well-done thoughtful moments on brainwashing and gender roles.