james_davis_nicoll: (Default)
james_davis_nicoll ([personal profile] james_davis_nicoll) wrote2025-08-05 08:49 am
Entry tags:
james_davis_nicoll: (Default)
james_davis_nicoll ([personal profile] james_davis_nicoll) wrote2025-08-04 02:05 pm
Entry tags:
ffutures: (Default)
ffutures ([personal profile] ffutures) wrote2025-08-04 06:32 pm
Entry tags:

Another repeat SF bundle - Modern AGE / The Expanse

This is a repeat offer of the Modern AGE / Expanse bundle from Green Ronin Publishing, containing the Modern AGE version of their Adventure Game Engine rules and sourcebooks and adventures for the popular Expanse books and TV series;

https://bundleofholding.com/presents/2025Expanse




In 2020 I said "I'm slightly hampered here by lack of familiarity with the AGE system, but my impression on a quick look is a fairly playable game that for once doesn't need a huge variety of dice - everything is rolled with 6-siders. The combat rules don't seem to take up a ludicrously large portion of the system, and explanations seem to work reasonably well without going into impenetrable gamespeak. Presentation is good too, with nice artwork and a reasonable balance of male and female characters represented. I found that the font used for the rules is a little hard to read on screen - I had to up the magnification more than usual - but otherwise have no particular problems. The font size may be a consequence of the fairly high word count for these rules, and I suspect that it was the best compromise for the printed version - larger text would have upped the page count considerably. Unfortunately I don't feel that it's a particularly good font from a legibility viewpoint, which isn't helping.

My visual problems aside, this looks to be a pretty good bundle, and is probably a must-buy for anyone liking The Expanse. Recommended!"

I don't see any reason to change any of that.

james_davis_nicoll: (Default)
james_davis_nicoll ([personal profile] james_davis_nicoll) wrote2025-08-04 09:59 am

Happy Civil Holiday!

Living as I do in Ontario, a province run for and by assholes, the Civic Holiday is an "optional" holiday that employers may either observe or spend beating their employees with a stick no thicker than Andre the Giant's thumb.
james_davis_nicoll: (Default)
james_davis_nicoll ([personal profile] james_davis_nicoll) wrote2025-08-04 09:42 am

Clarke Award Finalists 2008

2008: Norovirus is a smash hit with three million-plus Britons, an avoidable market collapse relieves boredom, and Boris Johnson’s election as mayor of London surely is not a harbinger of dark days to come.

Poll #33463 Clarke Award Finalists 2008
Open to: Registered Users, detailed results viewable to: All, participants: 23


Which 2008 Clarke Award Finalists Have You Read?

View Answers

Black Man by Richard Morgan
10 (43.5%)

The Carhullan Army by Sarah Hall
7 (30.4%)

The Execution Channel by Ken MacLeod
10 (43.5%)

The H-Bomb Girl by Stephen Baxter
0 (0.0%)

The Raw Shark Texts by Steven Hall
4 (17.4%)

The Red Men by Matthew De Abaitua
1 (4.3%)



Bold for have read, italic for intend to read, underline for never heard of it.

Which 2008 Clarke Award Finalists Have You Read?
Black Man by Richard Morgan
The Carhullan Army by Sarah Hall
The Execution Channel by Ken MacLeod
The H-Bomb Girl by Stephen Baxter
The Raw Shark Texts by Steven Hall
The Red Men by Matthew De Abaitua
james_davis_nicoll: (Default)
james_davis_nicoll ([personal profile] james_davis_nicoll) wrote2025-08-02 09:54 am

Books Received, July 26 to July 31 belated poll

Poll #33455 Books Received, July 26 to July 31
Open to: Registered Users, detailed results viewable to: All, participants: 51


Which of these look interesting?

View Answers

The Laundry Roleplaying Game: Operative’s Handbook by by David F Chapman, Calum Collins, Christopher Colston, Alister Davison, Michael Duxbury, Warren Frey, Gareth Hanrahan, and Elaine Lithgow et al (Q4, 2025)
22 (43.1%)

The Laundry Roleplaying Game: Supervisor’s Guide by Anthony Boyd, Greg Buchanan, David F Chapman, Calum Collins, Christopher Colston, Alister Davison, Michael Duxbury, Warren Frey, Gareth Hanrahan, Derek Johnston, and Elaine Lithgow et al (Q4, 2025)
22 (43.1%)

You do know at least one person in the group needs both books, right?
26 (51.0%)

Some other option (see comments)
2 (3.9%)

Cats!
45 (88.2%)

james_davis_nicoll: (Default)
james_davis_nicoll ([personal profile] james_davis_nicoll) wrote2025-08-02 09:18 am
Entry tags:

Books Received, July 26 to July 31



Just two items this week (although maybe two halves of one thing). Both cosmic horror, both part of (or related to) a series.


Books Received, July 26 to July 31
james_davis_nicoll: (Default)
james_davis_nicoll ([personal profile] james_davis_nicoll) wrote2025-08-01 03:45 pm
james_davis_nicoll: (Default)
james_davis_nicoll ([personal profile] james_davis_nicoll) wrote2025-08-01 08:49 am

Empath by Hoa Pham



Many people spend their lives wondering if there's a point to their existence. Vuong and her clone sisters have a purpose. With a little investigation, they might find out what it is.

Empath by Hoa Pham
james_davis_nicoll: (Default)
james_davis_nicoll ([personal profile] james_davis_nicoll) wrote2025-07-31 10:17 am
Entry tags:
james_davis_nicoll: (Default)
james_davis_nicoll ([personal profile] james_davis_nicoll) wrote2025-07-31 09:04 am
Entry tags:
james_davis_nicoll: (Default)
james_davis_nicoll ([personal profile] james_davis_nicoll) wrote2025-07-31 08:57 am
Entry tags:

July 2025 in Review



23 works reviewed. 12 by women (52%), 10 by men (43%),1 by non-binary authors (4%), 0 by authors whose gender is unknown (0%), and 11 by POC (48%).

July 2025 in Review
james_davis_nicoll: (Default)
james_davis_nicoll ([personal profile] james_davis_nicoll) wrote2025-07-30 04:00 pm

Hypothetically speaking

If someone asked for a list of issues with the Reactor site, what would be your top five? Not counting search. Assume search will be mentioned.
james_davis_nicoll: (Default)
james_davis_nicoll ([personal profile] james_davis_nicoll) wrote2025-07-30 03:16 pm
Entry tags:

Bundle of Holding: BattleTech Shrapnel 2



11 digital issues of The Official BattleTech Magazine from Catalyst Game Labs, Shrapnel.

Bundle of Holding: BattleTech Shrapnel 2
ffutures: (Default)
ffutures ([personal profile] ffutures) wrote2025-07-30 08:01 pm
Entry tags:

Another SF RPG bundle - BattleTech Shrapnel 2

This is an offer of issues 11-20 of Shrapnel, the official BattleTech magazine from Catalyst Game Labs, plus an anthology of issues 1-4.

https://bundleofholding.com/presents/Shrapnel2



This isn't something I particularly want since I don't actually play the game, but it's cheap compared to individual issues and contains a lot of material you won't find elsewhere, including fiction. If you play BattleTech it's definitely worth taking a look.
james_davis_nicoll: (Default)
james_davis_nicoll ([personal profile] james_davis_nicoll) wrote2025-07-30 08:59 am

Mr. Villain’s Day Off, volume 1 by Yuu Morikawa



One day the General will be victorious. Earth will be his! Humanity will be exterminated!

However, today is the General’s day off.

Mr. Villain’s Day Off, volume 1 by Yuu Morikawa
james_davis_nicoll: (Default)
james_davis_nicoll ([personal profile] james_davis_nicoll) wrote2025-07-29 09:28 pm

Heads up for the Pacific

8.7 quake in Siberia, tsunami warning across the Pacific.
james_davis_nicoll: (Default)
james_davis_nicoll ([personal profile] james_davis_nicoll) wrote2025-07-29 08:54 am

Angel Station by Walter Jon Williams



Two orphans try to make a living in an unforgiving universe.

Angel Station by Walter Jon Williams