I will be too busy to post tomorrow.

2012: O2 offers free wifi to multitudes, which I only now realize may
have been referenced in Kingsman, researchers determine that despite
a century having passed, the Titanic remains at the bottom of the Atlantic, and in a glorious celebration of the effectiveness of the modern British educational system, doctors must warn Britons not to drink liquid nitrogen.

The Testament of Jessie Lamb by Jane Rogers
Embassytown by China Mieville
Hull Zero Three by Greg Bear
Rule 34 by Charles Stross
The Postmortal by Drew Magary
The Waters Rising by Sheri S. Tepper

Just the Bear, the Stross, and *sigh* the Tepper.


--
My reviews can be found at http://jamesdavisnicoll.com/
My tor pieces at https://www.tor.com/author/james-davis-nicoll/
My Dreamwidth at https://james-davis-nicoll.dreamwidth.org/
My patreon is at https://www.patreon.com/jamesdnicoll

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On 1/09/25 13:18, James Nicoll wrote:

I will be too busy to post tomorrow.

Is that a first?

2012: O2 offers free wifi to multitudes, which I only now realize may
have been referenced in Kingsman, researchers determine that despite
a century having passed, the Titanic remains at the bottom of the Atlantic, and in a glorious celebration of the effectiveness of the modern British educational system, doctors must warn Britons not to drink liquid nitrogen.

The Testament of Jessie Lamb by Jane Rogers
Embassytown by China Mieville
Hull Zero Three by Greg Bear
Rule 34 by Charles Stross
The Postmortal by Drew Magary
The Waters Rising by Sheri S. Tepper

Just the Bear, the Stross, and *sigh* the Tepper.

The Mieville was great but I bounced off the Stross and may not have
finished it.



--- MBSE BBS v1.1.2 (Linux-x86_64)
* Origin: A noiseless patient Spider (3:633/280.2@fidonet)

On 31/08/2025 20.18, James Nicoll wrote:

I will be too busy to post tomorrow.

2012: O2 offers free wifi to multitudes, which I only now realize may
have been referenced in Kingsman, researchers determine that despite
a century having passed, the Titanic remains at the bottom of the Atlantic, and in a glorious celebration of the effectiveness of the modern British educational system, doctors must warn Britons not to drink liquid nitrogen.

The Testament of Jessie Lamb by Jane Rogers
Embassytown by China Mieville
Hull Zero Three by Greg Bear
Rule 34 by Charles Stross
The Postmortal by Drew Magary
The Waters Rising by Sheri S. Tepper

Only the Stross. Only twice (so far).

--
Michael F. Stemper
Economists have correctly predicted seven of the last three recessions.


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Titus G wrote:

On 1/09/25 13:18, James Nicoll wrote:

I will be too busy to post tomorrow.

Is that a first?

2012: O2 offers free wifi to multitudes, which I only now realize may
have been referenced in Kingsman, researchers determine that despite
a century having passed, the Titanic remains at the bottom of the Atlantic, >> and in a glorious celebration of the effectiveness of the modern British
educational system, doctors must warn Britons not to drink liquid nitrogen. >>
The Testament of Jessie Lamb by Jane Rogers
Embassytown by China Mieville
Hull Zero Three by Greg Bear
Rule 34 by Charles Stross
The Postmortal by Drew Magary
The Waters Rising by Sheri S. Tepper

Just the Bear, the Stross, and *sigh* the Tepper.

The Mieville was great but I bounced off the Stross and may not have
finished it.

The Stross brought me back to Stross after I had bounced off the
merchant princes. Then I read his backlist.

Other than that, only the Mieville.

William Hyde



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William Hyde <wthyde1953@gmail.com> writes:

Titus G wrote:

On 1/09/25 13:18, James Nicoll wrote:

I will be too busy to post tomorrow.

The Mieville was great but I bounced off the Stross and may not have
finished it.

The Stross brought me back to Stross after I had bounced off the
merchant princes. Then I read his backlist.

Interesting: Istopped reading Stross after the first Merchant Princes
and _The Apocalypse Codex_, so maybe I should try some of his other
works such as this.


--
Stephen Harker sjharker@aussiebroadband.com.au

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Reply-To: blissInSanFrancisco@mouse-potato.com



On 9/1/25 20:19, Stephen Harker wrote:

William Hyde <wthyde1953@gmail.com> writes:

Titus G wrote:

On 1/09/25 13:18, James Nicoll wrote:

I will be too busy to post tomorrow.

The Mieville was great but I bounced off the Stross and may not have
finished it.

The Stross brought me back to Stross after I had bounced off the
merchant princes. Then I read his backlist.

Interesting: Istopped reading Stross after the first Merchant Princes
and _The Apocalypse Codex_, so maybe I should try some of his other
works such as this.

Everyone who wants to must read the "Laundry Files" stories and novels.
The Laundry was given that name when an earlier HQ was above a Chinese
Laundry. The files contain the stories of several agents who confront sourcerous
villainy. The horrid creatures that are actually the basis of the
Unicorn legends
and mentions of the World Wars and in WW II where a lot of the UK
sorcerors
died in conflict with the German sorcerors. The senior agent in most
of these
is also an avatar of the Eater of Souls and horrid as the idea sounds
there are
even worse things being summoned. When that man dies(?) his trainee who
is a field agent inherits the EoS. I loved his stuff though it
ultimately seems
to be rather nihilistic but read them and decide for your self.
The modern Laundry is a part of the London Metropolitan Police which
is not too happy about the connection.

bliss



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On 2/09/25 15:19, Stephen Harker wrote:

William Hyde <wthyde1953@gmail.com> writes:

Titus G wrote:

On 1/09/25 13:18, James Nicoll wrote:

I will be too busy to post tomorrow.

The Mieville was great but I bounced off the Stross and may not have
finished it.

The Stross brought me back to Stross after I had bounced off the
merchant princes. Then I read his backlist.

Interesting: Istopped reading Stross after the first Merchant Princes
and _The Apocalypse Codex_, so maybe I should try some of his other
works such as this.

(I looked up my list of books read.)
Halting State was an enjoyable three star read for me.
Rule 34 was a two star time waster.
The Atrocity Archives (Laundry Files 1) was not finished with the only
comment being "Too glib".
Family Trade (Merchant Princes 1). Two stars.
Accelerando. I have had two unsuccessful attempts at reading this.

I have read these books because of favourable comments here but
obviously Stross is not for me and I should have stopped sooner.

--- MBSE BBS v1.1.2 (Linux-x86_64)
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On 2/09/25 15:40, Bobbie Sellers wrote:
snip

Re Stross.

I loved his stuff though it
ultimately seems
ÿto be rather nihilistic but read them and decide for your self.

I wish I had thought of that. That is exactly why I don't like his
writing. Just random nonsense and lengthy descriptions of blood and guts.

--- MBSE BBS v1.1.2 (Linux-x86_64)
* Origin: A noiseless patient Spider (3:633/280.2@fidonet)

Bobbie Sellers <bliss-sf4ever@dslextreme.com> writes:

On 9/1/25 20:19, Stephen Harker wrote:

William Hyde <wthyde1953@gmail.com> writes:

Titus G wrote:

On 1/09/25 13:18, James Nicoll wrote:

I will be too busy to post tomorrow.

The Mieville was great but I bounced off the Stross and may not have
finished it.

The Stross brought me back to Stross after I had bounced off the
merchant princes. Then I read his backlist.

Interesting: Istopped reading Stross after the first Merchant
Princes
and _The Apocalypse Codex_, so maybe I should try some of his other
works such as this.

Everyone who wants to must read the "Laundry Files" stories and novels.
The Laundry was given that name when an earlier HQ was above a Chinese
Laundry. The files contain the stories of several agents who confront
sourcerous

[...]
but read them and decide for your self.

The modern Laundry is a part of the London Metropolitan Police which
is not too happy about the connection

_The Apocalypse Codex_, mentioned above, is the fourth Laundry book. I
had read that far (and actually started _The Rhesus Chart_) but got more
and more uninterested. The early books I enjoyed. I did not finish
_The Family Trade_ either. So I stopped reading Stross.

--
Stephen Harker sjharker@aussiebroadband.com.au

--- MBSE BBS v1.1.2 (Linux-x86_64)
* Origin: Aussiebroadband connection (3:633/280.2@fidonet)

William Hyde <wthyde1953@gmail.com> writes:

Titus G wrote:

On 1/09/25 13:18, James Nicoll wrote:

I will be too busy to post tomorrow.

Is that a first?

2012: O2 offers free wifi to multitudes, which I only now realize may
have been referenced in Kingsman, researchers determine that despite
a century having passed, the Titanic remains at the bottom of the Atlantic, >>> and in a glorious celebration of the effectiveness of the modern British >>> educational system, doctors must warn Britons not to drink liquid nitrogen. >>>
The Testament of Jessie Lamb by Jane Rogers
Embassytown by China Mieville
Hull Zero Three by Greg Bear
Rule 34 by Charles Stross
The Postmortal by Drew Magary
The Waters Rising by Sheri S. Tepper

Just the Bear, the Stross, and *sigh* the Tepper.

The Mieville was great but I bounced off the Stross and may not have
finished it.

The Stross brought me back to Stross after I had bounced off the
merchant princes.

I enjoyed the first merchant princes book. They grew less
interesting when the US adminstration started tossing nukes
around. While I firmly believed, at the time, that Bush and
Cheney were the worst thing to happen to the US with respect
to pretty much everything, I didn't anticpate the current clown show.



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On 9/2/25 08:02, Scott Lurndal wrote:

William Hyde <wthyde1953@gmail.com> writes:

Titus G wrote:

On 1/09/25 13:18, James Nicoll wrote:

I will be too busy to post tomorrow.

Is that a first?

2012: O2 offers free wifi to multitudes, which I only now realize may
have been referenced in Kingsman, researchers determine that despite
a century having passed, the Titanic remains at the bottom of the Atlantic,
and in a glorious celebration of the effectiveness of the modern British >>>> educational system, doctors must warn Britons not to drink liquid nitrogen.

The Testament of Jessie Lamb by Jane Rogers
Embassytown by China Mieville
Hull Zero Three by Greg Bear
Rule 34 by Charles Stross
The Postmortal by Drew Magary
The Waters Rising by Sheri S. Tepper

Just the Bear, the Stross, and *sigh* the Tepper.

The Mieville was great but I bounced off the Stross and may not have
finished it.

The Stross brought me back to Stross after I had bounced off the
merchant princes.

I enjoyed the first merchant princes book. They grew less
interesting when the US adminstration started tossing nukes
around. While I firmly believed, at the time, that Bush and
Cheney were the worst thing to happen to the US with respect
to pretty much everything, I didn't anticpate the current clown show.

.No one expected the current clown show but maybe the authors of
the Project 2025 book.

.So far there is no satisfactory conclusion to the Merchant Princes series
in the next few universes over where Imperial Russia is getting ready to confront the Colonies in rebellion on the North American continent and
the USA in our univese is following the MP actors into the new universe
with nuclear weapons at the ready. I won't give away why the USA
is upset but if it happened to this universe we would be very upset.

.Stross with the Laundry Files may have written himself into a corner
then turned around and done the same with the Merchant Prince series.
He might have to do fictional Universes interpenetration to resolve the problems and create newer, more horrible problems. Some people
don't understand that is basically what the series are about is solving problems.

.bliss

.bliss


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Stephen Harker <sjharker@aussiebroadband.com.au> wrote:

Bobbie Sellers <bliss-sf4ever@dslextreme.com> writes:

On 9/1/25 20:19, Stephen Harker wrote:

William Hyde <wthyde1953@gmail.com> writes:

Titus G wrote:

On 1/09/25 13:18, James Nicoll wrote:

I will be too busy to post tomorrow.

The Mieville was great but I bounced off the Stross and may not have >>>>> finished it.

The Stross brought me back to Stross after I had bounced off the
merchant princes. Then I read his backlist.

Interesting: Istopped reading Stross after the first Merchant
Princes
and _The Apocalypse Codex_, so maybe I should try some of his other
works such as this.

Everyone who wants to must read the "Laundry Files" stories and novels.
The Laundry was given that name when an earlier HQ was above a Chinese
Laundry. The files contain the stories of several agents who confront
sourcerous

[...]
but read them and decide for your self.

The modern Laundry is a part of the London Metropolitan Police which >> is not too happy about the connection

_The Apocalypse Codex_, mentioned above, is the fourth Laundry book. I
had read that far (and actually started _The Rhesus Chart_) but got more
and more uninterested. The early books I enjoyed. I did not finish
_The Family Trade_ either. So I stopped reading Stross.

_Iron Sunrise_ and _Glasshouse_ are good IMHO - earlier works.
Cheers, David Duffy.

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On Tue, 02 Sep 2025 15:02:50 GMT, scott@slp53.sl.home (Scott Lurndal)
wrote:

William Hyde <wthyde1953@gmail.com> writes:

Titus G wrote:

On 1/09/25 13:18, James Nicoll wrote:

I will be too busy to post tomorrow.

Is that a first?

2012: O2 offers free wifi to multitudes, which I only now realize may
have been referenced in Kingsman, researchers determine that despite
a century having passed, the Titanic remains at the bottom of the Atlantic,
and in a glorious celebration of the effectiveness of the modern British >>>> educational system, doctors must warn Britons not to drink liquid nitrogen.

The Testament of Jessie Lamb by Jane Rogers
Embassytown by China Mieville
Hull Zero Three by Greg Bear
Rule 34 by Charles Stross
The Postmortal by Drew Magary
The Waters Rising by Sheri S. Tepper

Just the Bear, the Stross, and *sigh* the Tepper.

The Mieville was great but I bounced off the Stross and may not have
finished it.

The Stross brought me back to Stross after I had bounced off the
merchant princes.

I enjoyed the first merchant princes book. They grew less
interesting when the US adminstration started tossing nukes
around. While I firmly believed, at the time, that Bush and
Cheney were the worst thing to happen to the US with respect
to pretty much everything, I didn't anticpate the current clown show.

"Nobody expects the Spanish Inquisition".
--
"Here lies the Tuscan poet Aretino,
Who evil spoke of everyone but God,
Giving as his excuse, 'I never knew him.'"

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davidd0002@proton.me (David Duffy) writes:

Stephen Harker <sjharker@aussiebroadband.com.au> wrote:

Bobbie Sellers <bliss-sf4ever@dslextreme.com> writes:

On 9/1/25 20:19, Stephen Harker wrote:

William Hyde <wthyde1953@gmail.com> writes:

Titus G wrote:

On 1/09/25 13:18, James Nicoll wrote:

I will be too busy to post tomorrow.

The Mieville was great but I bounced off the Stross and may not have >>>>>> finished it.

The Stross brought me back to Stross after I had bounced off the
merchant princes. Then I read his backlist.

Interesting: Istopped reading Stross after the first Merchant
Princes
and _The Apocalypse Codex_, so maybe I should try some of his other
works such as this.

Everyone who wants to must read the "Laundry Files" stories and novels.
The Laundry was given that name when an earlier HQ was above a Chinese
Laundry. The files contain the stories of several agents who confront
sourcerous

[...]
but read them and decide for your self.

The modern Laundry is a part of the London Metropolitan Police which >>> is not too happy about the connection

_The Apocalypse Codex_, mentioned above, is the fourth Laundry book. I
had read that far (and actually started _The Rhesus Chart_) but got more
and more uninterested. The early books I enjoyed. I did not finish
_The Family Trade_ either. So I stopped reading Stross.

_Iron Sunrise_ and _Glasshouse_ are good IMHO - earlier works.
Cheers, David Duffy.

_Iron Sunrise_ was part of his Eschaton series, which also included _Singularity Sky_. I liked _Glasshouse_ and _Accelerando_ of his
stand-alone novels, but did not care for _Scratch Monkey_. Liked
_Halting State_ and _Rule 34_.

I've read all the Laundry Files series and am part way into the
follow-on Tales of the New Management series.

Bounced off of the Merchant Princes after the second one.

I thought the Saturn's Children series was too anthropomorphic for a
society entirely consisting of robots and androids. There should have
been more diversion from human customs and mores in the time frame of
the setting.
--
-Don_from_AZ-

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