Chocolate
Dec. 7th, 2025 02:28 pmWhen they're not to be found, that's what. Over a couple of weeks, due to scarcity, my sweet spouse went to more than one store, for me. Then, last week, there were none to be found anywhere. He brought me a bag of Kroger's store brand and a bag of Ghirardelli. While not as chocolatey and with more beat-up looking chips, the Kroger was still an acceptable alternative. Ironically enough, the Ghirardelli bag combined being significantly more expensive with larger chips. My spouse called the chocolate taste "understated." I called it "nonexistent." Nothing like paying more for less flavor.
This week, relief was in sight, as he returned home victorious with the desired chocolate. Those first chips after a week of deprivation were intensely pleasurable. [I may have to do extra walks this week, weather permitting.]
As I went towards the fridge this afternoon, in anticipation of more chocolate chip goodness, I heard music in my head. I'm a filker; this isn't exactly a surprise. Bill & Gretchen Roper have an excellent song on the subject, "My Husband The Filker." As I let the tune play out to see which one it was, "Sha bop, sha bop" flowed into "I Only Have Eyes For You", a decidedly apt tune for chocolate on an overcast winter afternoon.
Space Skimmer by David Gerrold
Dec. 7th, 2025 08:51 am
Who killed the empire? More importantly, what does it take to get men to process their emotions?
Space Skimmer by David Gerrold
(no subject)
Dec. 6th, 2025 09:18 am
Geneviève Bergeron (born 1968; aged 21), civil engineering student
Hélène Colgan (born 1966; aged 23), mechanical engineering student
Nathalie Croteau (born 1966; aged 23), mechanical engineering student
Barbara Daigneault (born 1967; aged 22), mechanical engineering student
Anne-Marie Edward (born 1968; aged 21), chemical engineering student
Maud Haviernick (born 1960; aged 29), materials engineering student
Maryse Laganière (born 1964; aged 25), budget clerk in the École Polytechnique's finance department
Maryse Leclair (born 1966; aged 23), materials engineering student
Anne-Marie Lemay (born 1967; aged 22), mechanical engineering student
Sonia Pelletier (born 1961; aged 28), mechanical engineering student
Michèle Richard (born 1968; aged 21), materials engineering student
Annie St-Arneault (born 1966; aged 23), mechanical engineering student
Annie Turcotte (born 1969; aged 20), materials engineering student
Barbara Klucznik-Widajewicz (born 1958; aged 31), nursing student
A Mouthful of Dust (Singing Hills, volume 6) by Nghi Vo
Dec. 4th, 2025 08:55 am
Cleric Chih's quest to record the tragic history of a famine succeeds all too well.
A Mouthful of Dust (Singing Hills, volume 6) by Nghi Vo
Bundle of Holding: Worlds Without Number
Dec. 3rd, 2025 02:25 pm
This new Worlds Without Number Bundle presents Worlds Without Number, the tabletop fantasy roleplaying game of far-future sword-and-sorcery adventure from acclaimed designer Kevin Crawford of Sine Nomine Publishing.
Bundle of Holding: Worlds Without Number
Bambi (Bambi, volume 1) by Felix Salten (Translated by Jack Zipes)
Dec. 3rd, 2025 08:53 am
A study of the carefree life of an animal at the bottom of the food chain.
Bambi (Bambi, volume 1) by Felix Salten (Translated by Jack Zipes)
R.I.P. Leslie Fish
Dec. 2nd, 2025 01:31 pmLeslie Fish was a deeply complex person, with so many talents and interests, Diderot and the Encyclopédistes could have followed her around for a lifetime and still not kept up. Nimble fingers and nimbler mind, a sheer, stubborn persistence in living her life on her own terms [smokes, booze, & all], let's just say, Leslie and Piotr would've understood each other all too well. Opinionated and cantankerous, yet none more encouraging and supportive in a song circle or more generous in mentorship. Whether the topic was breeding cats [with thumbs!] or politics, restoring heritage fruit trees or the latest in technology, space or fantasy, just keeping up was sheer fun. Leslie was always a challenge and a delight; knowing her was a privelege and an honor.
I urge you to seek out her music, on youtube, bandcamp.com, and elsewhere, and let her speak for herself.
P. S. Links: https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=leslie+fish and https://lesliefish.bandcamp.com/
Bundle of Holding: SR5 Missions (repeat from 2024)
Dec. 2nd, 2025 01:20 pm
Shadowrun 5th Edition scenarios and campaign sourcebooks.
Bundle of Holding: SR5 Missions (repeat from 2024)
Things I Wish I’d Known When Starting a Book Collection
Dec. 2nd, 2025 10:02 am
Handy advice for overly enthusiastic bookworms (you know who you are)
Things I Wish I’d Known When Starting a Book Collection
Chanur’s Venture (Chanur, volume 2) by C J Cherryh
Dec. 2nd, 2025 09:35 am
Having saved hapless human Tully from the kif, hani star captain Pyanfar Chanur is faced with the consequences of saving hapless human Tully from the kif.
Chanur’s Venture (Chanur, volume 2) by C J Cherryh
Clarke Award Finalists 2024
Dec. 1st, 2025 10:59 amWhich 2024 Clarke Award Finalists Have You Read?
In Ascension by Martin MacInnes
1 (3.6%)
Chain-Gang All-Stars by Nana Kwame Adjei-Brenyah
1 (3.6%)
Corey Fah Does Social Mobility by Isabel Waidner
2 (7.1%)
Some Desperate Glory by Emily Tesh
27 (96.4%)
The Mountain in the Sea by Ray Nayler
12 (42.9%)
The Ten Percent Thief by Lavanya Lakshminarayan
2 (7.1%)
Bold for have read, italic for intend to read, underline for never heard of it.
Which 2024 Clarke Award Finalists Have You Read?
In Ascension by Martin MacInnes
Chain-Gang All-Stars by Nana Kwame Adjei-Brenyah
Corey Fah Does Social Mobility by Isabel Waidner
Some Desperate Glory by Emily Tesh
The Mountain in the Sea by Ray Nayler
The Ten Percent Thief by Lavanya Lakshminarayan
December 2025 Patreon Boost
Dec. 1st, 2025 08:59 am
Impress your friends and potential significant others! Join the legions of James Nicoll Reviews supporters! James Nicoll Reviews is the only SF review that promises to be pyroclastic flow-free!
December 2025 Patreon Boost
November 2025 in Review
Nov. 30th, 2025 10:29 am
21 works reviewed. 11 by women (52%), 10 by men (48%), 0 by non-binary authors (0%), 0 by authors whose gender is unknown (0%), and 8 by POC (38%).
Book by book, closer to aleph null.
November 2025 in Review
The Incredible Umbrella (Incredible Umbrella, volume 1) by Marvin Kaye
Nov. 30th, 2025 09:17 am
An academic's dismal prospects are transformed by a magical umbrella.
The Incredible Umbrella (Incredible Umbrella, volume 1) by Marvin Kaye
Look! I remembered to post before December started this year!
Nov. 30th, 2025 02:42 amThe standard explanation: For the entire month of December, all orders made in the Shop of points and paid time, either for you or as a gift for a friend, will have 10% of your completed cart total sent to you in points when you finish the transaction. For instance, if you buy an order of 12 months of paid time for $35 (350 points), you'll get 35 points when the order is complete, to use on a future purchase.
( The fine print and much more behind this cut! )
Thank you, in short, for being the best possible users any social media site could possibly ever hope for. I'm probably in danger of crossing the Sappiness Line if I haven't already, but you all make everything worth it.
On behalf of Mark, Jen, Robby, and our team of awesome volunteers, and to each and every one of you, whether you've been with us on this wild ride since the beginning or just signed up last week, I'm wishing you all a very happy set of end-of-year holidays, whichever ones you celebrate, and hoping for all of you that your 2026 is full of kindness, determination, empathy, and a hell of a lot more luck than we've all had lately. Let's go.
Books Received, November 22 — November 28
Nov. 29th, 2025 08:58 am
Eight books new to me. Five fantasy, one horror, two science fiction, of which two are series and six may not be.
Books Received, November 22 — November 28
Which of these look interesting?
Kill All Wizards by Jedediah Berry (June 2026)
22 (34.9%)
The Franchise by Thomas Elrod (May 2026)
10 (15.9%)
Carry Me to My Grave by Christopher Golden (July 2026)
3 (4.8%)
Obstetrix by Naomi Kritzer (June 2026)
31 (49.2%)
Inkpot Gods by Seanan McGuire (June 2026)
20 (31.7%)
Cursed Ever After by Andy C. Naranjo (June 2026)
7 (11.1%)
For Human Use by Sarah G. Pierce (February 2026)
3 (4.8%)
The War Beyond by Andrea Stewart (November 2025)
10 (15.9%)
Some other option (see comments)
1 (1.6%)
Cats!
45 (71.4%)
