Nicholas J > Recent Status Updates

Illuminations - a forlorn middle-aged man revisits the seaside holiday town where his parents took him each year growing up. A melancholy tale with a creepy ending twist!

The Improbably Complex High-Energy State - a downright wacky imagining of the initial femtosecond of existence, as experienced by a theoretical Boltzmann brain

Cold Reading - A great little ghost story, told in real-time narration by a charlatan psychic who is contacted for a reading by a man who recently lost his skeptic twin brother.

Location, Location, Location — a real estate agent shows Jesus into his new home as Judgement Day unfolds around them.

Not Even Legend - a short, mind-bending story about a creature who experiences time backwards

Hypothetical Lizard - an eerie and beautiful story set in an exclusive brothel that caters to sorcerers, about a transgender courtesan who returns to visit her spurned lover, as witnessed by a half-masked whore with an induced brain impairment. Absolutely enchanting.

“The Rogue Prince, or, A King’s Brother” by George RR Martin - a convoluted chronicle that later formed the basis for HBO’s House of the Dragon. An interesting read if you like histories, but not much of a story.

“The Lightning Tree” by Patrick Rothfuss - a day in the life of Bast as he does some mischief and solves some problems in the village

“Now Showing” by Connie Willis - girl goes to massive cineplex to see a movie, but is prevented by unlikely circumstances and a grand conspiracy. Fun story by a hugely celebrated writer.

“How the Marquis Got His Coat Back” by Neil Gaiman - tidy adventure in London Below. Charming and clever of course.

“The Curious Affair of the Dead Wives” by Lisa Tuttle - the case of a woman perhaps dead or perhaps alive is taken up by a budding investigator and her Holmes-like partner in Victorian London. Great story thoughtfully written, with keen observations about women’s status that continue to resonate today. ****

“The Caravan to Nowhere” by Phyllis Eisenstein - a wandering minstrel joins a caravan journey across a desert. Beautifully written compelling story. *****

“Diamonds from Tequila” by Walter Jon Williams - Intrigue involving a movie star shooting on location in Mexico and synthetic drug production. Zippy writing and clever plotting.

“A Cargo of Ivories” by Garth Nix - a short escapade about Sir Hereward, a knight, and Mister Fitz, a sorcerer-puppet. Fun banter, vivid writing, and fast pacing. Must seek out more! ****

“Ill Seen in Tyre” by Steven Saylor - amusing yarn about a youth and his tutor seeking out a magic tome

“A Better Way to Die” by Paul Cornell - a British agent in a Victorian England that is starting to use parallel realities. Weird and fascinating, with just enough exposition woven into the narrative to keep the reader afloat while still preserving some mystery to it all. Might be worth looking into more books about the protagonist, Hamilton.

“The Meaning of Love” by Daniel Abraham - fantasy story about a rogue helping a romantic fugitive prince, set in an extremely gritty city. A touch heavy on the cynicism, but pretty good.

“Heavy Metal” by Cherie Priest - odd story about a very polite, huge rogue exorcist and a haunted pond in an old mining town. Lovely prose.

“Bad Brass” by Bradley Denton - fun story about high school kids stealing band instruments. Entertaining but not particularly special

A Year and a Day in Old Theradane, by Scott Lynch - set in a very high fantasy city, a convoluted and unlikely heist orchestrated by some sassy rogues. Very fun!

Roaring Twenties by Carrie Vaughn - fun story about witches and creatures and gangsters and Feds in a speakeasy one night. Love the setting, and good writing.

“Provenance” by David W. Ball - merely ok story about a shady deal hinging on a painting looted in WW2

Tawny Petticoats by Michael Swanwick - fun caper set in a bizarre 19th C America featuring con-artists Darger and Surplus. Might be worth reading more!

Great so far. Quick notes on contributors, with stars for “look for more by them”:
Joe Abercrombie- amazing of course *
Gillian Flynn - great story with lots of twists *
Matthew Hughes - really enjoyed this, could be my next fantasy author *
Joe R. Lansdale - good hard-boiled story

Riveting, tense, occasionally horrifying, but consistently wonderful. My initial disappointment at leaving behind Kinch’s witty, irreverent narration was immediately forgotten as Galva’s laconic but deeply thoughtful narration began. The glimpses she reveals of herself are spellbinding and touching, leavened now and again by quoted letters. Remarkable that an author can write in such different voices.

Paolini’s descriptions are lovely: he paints clear pictures in graceful prose.

I was worried about the book featuring a brooding anti-hero outcast, tortured by his past, and by the potential for deus ex machina offered by his dragon. But Murtagh doesn’t brood too much, and Thorn doesn’t inordinately tip the scales.

However, the past 200 pages put them in prison, helpless pawns of the bad guy, which is dull.

Another great thing about this book is the humor. It’s genuinely funny, without resorting to cheeky anachronisms or silly slapstick.

I believe this may end up being one of my favorite books of all time. The writing is smart and funny and perfectly tuned. The characters live and breathe, and the worldbuilding is fascinating without being overwhelming, and has a whiff of fairytale that few authors can pull off well.

Finished book 1. In an effort to strike a familiar tone, Cook often glosses over details and explanation. But what’s colloquial and familiar to the narrator often leaves the reader mystified.

The depiction of the rigors of fantasy-military life is great, and the magic is mysterious and frightening. And gradually becoming familiar with the legendary bad guys is fascinating, as is their factional infighting.