elysdir | Reading

Unpopular Opinion: The best speculative fiction isn't just escapism, it's also protest. Keep lifting up your voices and your stories!

#WisCon #WisCon26 #WomenInSFF #FeministConvention

james_davis_nicoll

Outgunned's task resolution system involves rolling six-sided dice and looking for sets.

Some explanation behind a cut.

( Read more... )

psocoptera

Van Gogh and the End of Nature, Michael Lobel, 2024 art history/art criticism nonfiction. I don't read a lot of nonfiction - I don't even have a tag for it - but I had recently been to a show of the Roulin portraits at the MFA, and I had seen some of his stuff in Paris, and I heard about this book and thought it sounded interesting. And it was! I got to see lots of images of Van Gogh works I had never seen before and learn more about his historical/technological context and consider the relationship of industry and nature in his art in a whole new way. Good stuff. Possibly I should read more nonfiction.

psocoptera

Snake-Eater, T Kingfisher, 2025 fantasy novel. Similar to her horror - a woman, a life event, a house, family history, alarming events - but maybe tipped toward fantasy rather than horror, tonally. I continue to like this book and will read it as many times as she writes one; I particularly enjoyed this one because we got to spend time in the desert and it appealed to the little part of me that's always missing the West.

Spoilers: ( Read more... )

By coincidence, my next book is looking to be Motheater, which would have made a nice double-feature review, but it's long enough that I didn't want to wait to do this one until I finished it for fear of losing track of this one.

james_davis_nicoll

A speculative fiction collection from Vanessa Fogg.

The House of Illusionists: and Other Stories by Vanessa Fogg

james_davis_nicoll

Experience the trip of a lifetime — without having to deal with planes, passports, or other tourists...

RPG Tourism: Five Games To Help You Travel Vicariously

james_davis_nicoll

Bold conspirators conceal a serious crime by committing a far more serious one.

Testimony of Mute Things (Penric & Desdemona, volume 15) by Lois McMaster Bujold

james_davis_nicoll

39 Mythos-history-fringe-weird treatises from Pelgrane Press.

Bundle of Holding: Ken Writes About Stuff

mamohanraj_feed

Posted by Mary Anne Mohanraj

https://maryannemohanraj.com/2025/11/01/a-serious-dragon-on-a-mission/

https://maryannemohanraj.com/?p=75123

I’m supposed to be saving up money for the family Sri Lanka trip next summer and avoiding frivolous purchases, but I contend that this starry dragon is clearly not frivolous. He is a serious dragon on a mission.

https://maryannemohanraj.com/2025/11/01/a-serious-dragon-on-a-mission/

https://maryannemohanraj.com/?p=75123

mamohanraj_feed

Posted by Mary Anne Mohanraj

https://maryannemohanraj.com/2025/10/31/goggles-make-for-a-lazy-but-fun-costume/

https://maryannemohanraj.com/?p=75120

Hope everyone’s having a great Halloween. Goggles make for a lazy but fun costume. I had to explain steampunk to several people, though!

https://maryannemohanraj.com/2025/10/31/goggles-make-for-a-lazy-but-fun-costume/

https://maryannemohanraj.com/?p=75120

mamohanraj_feed

Posted by Mary Anne Mohanraj

https://maryannemohanraj.com/2025/10/31/safe-and-fun-trick-or-treating/

https://maryannemohanraj.com/?p=75117

Quick last-minute note that the Berwyn Shops are hosting Trick-or-Treating from 3 – 5 p.m. on Halloween! Stop by the various booths to collect some candy and smiles. 🙂 And if you decide to buy something (no obligation!), you’ll get a raffle ticket — at 5 p.m., we’ll raffle off a basket full of goodies […]

https://maryannemohanraj.com/2025/10/31/safe-and-fun-trick-or-treating/

https://maryannemohanraj.com/?p=75117

mamohanraj_feed

Posted by Mary Anne Mohanraj

https://maryannemohanraj.com/2025/10/31/spent-a-little-while-working-on-the-calendar/

https://maryannemohanraj.com/?p=75110

Got my storefront key this morning! (I’m actually going to be changing it to a code lock shortly, but for today, a key!) Stopped by and dropped off a few folding tables, also put a few teaser items in the windows. No explanation, so may confuse people. 🙂 I’ll get some signage up soon. Aren’t […]

https://maryannemohanraj.com/2025/10/31/spent-a-little-while-working-on-the-calendar/

https://maryannemohanraj.com/?p=75110

mamohanraj_feed

Posted by Mary Anne Mohanraj

https://maryannemohanraj.com/2025/10/30/i-think-this-is-my-favorite-serving-board/

https://maryannemohanraj.com/?p=75105

New in shop tomorrow. I think this is my favorite serving board so far; if others like it, I may do more in this style for the online store. Feels appropriate for both Christmas and Valentine’s Day…

https://maryannemohanraj.com/2025/10/30/i-think-this-is-my-favorite-serving-board/

https://maryannemohanraj.com/?p=75105

mamohanraj_feed

Posted by Mary Anne Mohanraj

https://maryannemohanraj.com/2025/10/30/new-in-shop-tomorrow/

https://maryannemohanraj.com/?p=75102

New in shop tomorrow.

https://maryannemohanraj.com/2025/10/30/new-in-shop-tomorrow/

https://maryannemohanraj.com/?p=75102

mamohanraj_feed

Posted by Mary Anne Mohanraj

https://maryannemohanraj.com/2025/10/30/managed-to-get-our-pirate-cemetery-up/

https://maryannemohanraj.com/?p=75099

With Anand’s help, managed to get our pirate cemetery up at the very last minute. Didn’t get all the lights up that we normally do; if I get up early tomorrow, may add more. But this will do, I think.

https://maryannemohanraj.com/2025/10/30/managed-to-get-our-pirate-cemetery-up/

https://maryannemohanraj.com/?p=75099

mamohanraj_feed

Posted by Mary Anne Mohanraj

https://maryannemohanraj.com/2025/10/30/im-trying-to-sort-out-the-workshop-schedule/

https://maryannemohanraj.com/?p=75096

Okay, so I’m trying to sort out the workshop schedule for the next few months — I get my keys tomorrow to the new storefront (eep! yay!), but I’ll be at the Shops until end of December, so I don’t want to move all my stuff over there. Hence, workshops! But I do too many […]

https://maryannemohanraj.com/2025/10/30/im-trying-to-sort-out-the-workshop-schedule/

https://maryannemohanraj.com/?p=75096

mamohanraj_feed

Posted by Mary Anne Mohanraj

https://maryannemohanraj.com/2025/10/30/ticket-page-soon-save-the-date/

https://maryannemohanraj.com/?p=75093

Ticket page soon! Save the date!

https://maryannemohanraj.com/2025/10/30/ticket-page-soon-save-the-date/

https://maryannemohanraj.com/?p=75093

mamohanraj_feed

Posted by Mary Anne Mohanraj

https://maryannemohanraj.com/2025/10/29/the-calculations-will-make-you-crazy/

https://maryannemohanraj.com/?p=75090

The Calculations Will Make You Crazy The calculations: • a food pantry can make three meals from every dollar donated • in my suburb, 17% of elementary students qualify for free lunch; there are probably some on my block • there are several apartment buildings on my block, so even if it makes me crazy […]

https://maryannemohanraj.com/2025/10/29/the-calculations-will-make-you-crazy/

https://maryannemohanraj.com/?p=75090

mamohanraj_feed

Posted by Mary Anne Mohanraj

https://maryannemohanraj.com/2025/10/29/its-getting-colorful-in-here/

https://maryannemohanraj.com/?p=75085

New in shop: added autumn color cement pieces. It’s getting colorful in here. Also fairy and dragon soaps. I was going to say for the kids, but the last person who bought a dragon soap (with a plastic toy inside) was a full grown man. 🙂

https://maryannemohanraj.com/2025/10/29/its-getting-colorful-in-here/

https://maryannemohanraj.com/?p=75085

james_davis_nicoll

The 1997 Second Edition of Over the Edge, the acclaimed Atlas Games tabletop roleplaying game of surreal danger on the conspiracy-ridden, reality-bending Mediterranean island of Al Amarja, and more.

Bundle of Holding: Over the Edge 2E (From 2014)