Jay
@tarvolon.bsky.social
SFF book blogger, sports pluralist (mostly Vols, Canes, and Courage, some USA, O’s, Dockers, Ravens, Valencia CF), Dad x3.
Pinned
Jay
@tarvolon.bsky.social
· 24d
Here with a roundup of what I read and reviewed in October, as always including some enthusiastic short fiction recommendations: www.tarvolon.com/2025/11/03/o...
October 2025 Round-up and Short Fiction Miscellany
A round-up of sci-fi fantasy stories read and reviews posted in October, with standouts by Octavia Butler and Justin C. Key.
www.tarvolon.com
As always, let’s do a thread of my favorite short fiction I read last month
Americans, happy Thanksgiving! Others, happy Thursday! Have a book review. The Village at the Edge of Noon comes out in English next week and leans heavily on Russian folklore www.tarvolon.com/2025/11/27/f...
Review: The Village at the Edge of Noon by Darya Bobyleva
Review of the English translation of the folkloric Russian fantasy novel The Village at the Edge of Noon by Darya Bobyleva.
www.tarvolon.com
November 27, 2025 at 2:15 PM
Americans, happy Thanksgiving! Others, happy Thursday! Have a book review. The Village at the Edge of Noon comes out in English next week and leans heavily on Russian folklore www.tarvolon.com/2025/11/27/f...
Huge win yesterday that we balance out with a horrible loss today.
November 27, 2025 at 2:08 AM
Huge win yesterday that we balance out with a horrible loss today.
This tournament is dumb but this game is great.
November 26, 2025 at 1:08 AM
This tournament is dumb but this game is great.
Reposted by Jay
I reviewed Death of the Author by Nnedi Okorafor. Definitely reads more litfic than sci-fi, but it's got some great character work www.tarvolon.com/2025/11/23/s...
Book Review: Death of the Author by Nnedi Okorafor
Review of the speculative litfic standalone sci-fi novel Death of the Author by acclaimed Nigerian-American author Nnedi Okorafor.
www.tarvolon.com
November 23, 2025 at 9:16 PM
I reviewed Death of the Author by Nnedi Okorafor. Definitely reads more litfic than sci-fi, but it's got some great character work www.tarvolon.com/2025/11/23/s...
Reposted by Jay
Trump's domestic Gestapo raided a job site, then handcuffed a US citizen born in Raleigh NC -- even after being shown the guy's REAL ID, which is only available to US citizens and LPRs
CBP+ICE will ignore your identifying documents when it suits their racism
www.newsobserver.com/news/local/a...
CBP+ICE will ignore your identifying documents when it suits their racism
www.newsobserver.com/news/local/a...
November 23, 2025 at 7:08 PM
Trump's domestic Gestapo raided a job site, then handcuffed a US citizen born in Raleigh NC -- even after being shown the guy's REAL ID, which is only available to US citizens and LPRs
CBP+ICE will ignore your identifying documents when it suits their racism
www.newsobserver.com/news/local/a...
CBP+ICE will ignore your identifying documents when it suits their racism
www.newsobserver.com/news/local/a...
I reviewed Death of the Author by Nnedi Okorafor. Definitely reads more litfic than sci-fi, but it's got some great character work www.tarvolon.com/2025/11/23/s...
Book Review: Death of the Author by Nnedi Okorafor
Review of the speculative litfic standalone sci-fi novel Death of the Author by acclaimed Nigerian-American author Nnedi Okorafor.
www.tarvolon.com
November 23, 2025 at 9:16 PM
I reviewed Death of the Author by Nnedi Okorafor. Definitely reads more litfic than sci-fi, but it's got some great character work www.tarvolon.com/2025/11/23/s...
My goodness, the comeback in this third set. Lady Vols coming through in the clutch.
November 23, 2025 at 8:59 PM
My goodness, the comeback in this third set. Lady Vols coming through in the clutch.
Reposted by Jay
I have never really been a military fantasy guy, but I read a classic military fantasy. Not sure it converted me to the subgenre, but it had some pretty cool bits! www.tarvolon.com/2025/11/22/f...
Fantasy Review: Sheepfarmer's Daughter by Elizabeth Moon
Review of Sheepfarmer's Daughter, the opening to the acclaimed military fantasy series The Deeds of Paksenarrion by Elizabeth Moon.
www.tarvolon.com
November 22, 2025 at 10:46 PM
I have never really been a military fantasy guy, but I read a classic military fantasy. Not sure it converted me to the subgenre, but it had some pretty cool bits! www.tarvolon.com/2025/11/22/f...
Reposted by Jay
This week’s featured author is P.A. Cornell!
First up is “Once Upon a Time at the Oakmont” in @fantasymagazine.bsky.social!
“On the island of Manhattan, there’s a building out of time.”
@cornellwriter.bsky.social
If you haven't already read this story, now is a good time to do so!
First up is “Once Upon a Time at the Oakmont” in @fantasymagazine.bsky.social!
“On the island of Manhattan, there’s a building out of time.”
@cornellwriter.bsky.social
If you haven't already read this story, now is a good time to do so!
Once Upon a Time at The Oakmont - PSYCHOPOMP.COM
On the island of Manhattan, there’s a building out of time. I can’t tell you where it is, exactly. It has an address, of course, as all buildings do, but that wouldn’t mean anything to you. What I can...
psychopomp.com
April 28, 2025 at 2:17 PM
This week’s featured author is P.A. Cornell!
First up is “Once Upon a Time at the Oakmont” in @fantasymagazine.bsky.social!
“On the island of Manhattan, there’s a building out of time.”
@cornellwriter.bsky.social
If you haven't already read this story, now is a good time to do so!
First up is “Once Upon a Time at the Oakmont” in @fantasymagazine.bsky.social!
“On the island of Manhattan, there’s a building out of time.”
@cornellwriter.bsky.social
If you haven't already read this story, now is a good time to do so!
Reposted by Jay
"After three minutes, he grabs a cheese grater and starts scraping the paste in it, sprinkling the flecks into a bowl. Finally, he scoops the floury mix with a rusty spoon and eats it."
If you haven't already read this, go read it now. It's a gut punch.
@renanbernardo.com @reactorsff.bsky.social
If you haven't already read this, go read it now. It's a gut punch.
@renanbernardo.com @reactorsff.bsky.social
The Plasticity of Being - Reactor
A Brazilian freelance journalist confronts the grim reality her past choices created when she covers a community of people living in a landfill and what they must do to survive...
reactormag.com
April 23, 2025 at 8:21 PM
"After three minutes, he grabs a cheese grater and starts scraping the paste in it, sprinkling the flecks into a bowl. Finally, he scoops the floury mix with a rusty spoon and eats it."
If you haven't already read this, go read it now. It's a gut punch.
@renanbernardo.com @reactorsff.bsky.social
If you haven't already read this, go read it now. It's a gut punch.
@renanbernardo.com @reactorsff.bsky.social
Reposted by Jay
Huge thanks to @thomasha.bsky.social for spending time with us this morning! We loved hearing about Thomas's process & hearing his thoughts on pacing & building a sense of anxiety. Looking forward to reading more of his work - especially his upcoming collection from @undertow.bsky.social!
Uncertain Sons and Other Stories (PRE-ORDER) — Undertow Publications
Sept. 2025 Cover art by Ove Tøpfer Trade paperback (284 pages) Uncertain Sons is a startling and masterful collection exploring familial love and trauma; societal and technological anxieties; ...
undertowpublications.com
April 12, 2025 at 3:55 PM
Huge thanks to @thomasha.bsky.social for spending time with us this morning! We loved hearing about Thomas's process & hearing his thoughts on pacing & building a sense of anxiety. Looking forward to reading more of his work - especially his upcoming collection from @undertow.bsky.social!
Tennessee is good in the first quarter. Please don’t be trash in the second quarter
November 23, 2025 at 1:37 AM
Tennessee is good in the first quarter. Please don’t be trash in the second quarter
I have never really been a military fantasy guy, but I read a classic military fantasy. Not sure it converted me to the subgenre, but it had some pretty cool bits! www.tarvolon.com/2025/11/22/f...
Fantasy Review: Sheepfarmer's Daughter by Elizabeth Moon
Review of Sheepfarmer's Daughter, the opening to the acclaimed military fantasy series The Deeds of Paksenarrion by Elizabeth Moon.
www.tarvolon.com
November 22, 2025 at 10:46 PM
I have never really been a military fantasy guy, but I read a classic military fantasy. Not sure it converted me to the subgenre, but it had some pretty cool bits! www.tarvolon.com/2025/11/22/f...
Oof, that’s a real tough turnover by Reilly
November 22, 2025 at 1:26 AM
Oof, that’s a real tough turnover by Reilly
Reposted by Jay
This is genuinely very funny
Q: “Are you affirming you think Trump is a fascist?”
TRUMP: “That’s ok, you can just say yes.”
ZOHRAN: “Ok. Yes.”
TRUMP: “That’s ok, you can just say yes.”
ZOHRAN: “Ok. Yes.”
November 21, 2025 at 10:04 PM
This is genuinely very funny
Reposted by Jay
Dragged my feet for six years before finishing the Patternist series because it was too bleak. And guess what? The bleakest book of the lot is actually fantastic. My pitch for Clay's Ark (along with a list of content warnings as long as your arm): www.tarvolon.com/2025/11/20/s...
Sci-fi Book Review: Clay's Ark by Octavia Butler
Review of Clay's Ark, the tremendous dark, apocalyptic science fiction novel by Octavia Butler, part of her Patternist series.
www.tarvolon.com
November 20, 2025 at 12:59 AM
Dragged my feet for six years before finishing the Patternist series because it was too bleak. And guess what? The bleakest book of the lot is actually fantastic. My pitch for Clay's Ark (along with a list of content warnings as long as your arm): www.tarvolon.com/2025/11/20/s...
Dragged my feet for six years before finishing the Patternist series because it was too bleak. And guess what? The bleakest book of the lot is actually fantastic. My pitch for Clay's Ark (along with a list of content warnings as long as your arm): www.tarvolon.com/2025/11/20/s...
Sci-fi Book Review: Clay's Ark by Octavia Butler
Review of Clay's Ark, the tremendous dark, apocalyptic science fiction novel by Octavia Butler, part of her Patternist series.
www.tarvolon.com
November 20, 2025 at 12:59 AM
Dragged my feet for six years before finishing the Patternist series because it was too bleak. And guess what? The bleakest book of the lot is actually fantastic. My pitch for Clay's Ark (along with a list of content warnings as long as your arm): www.tarvolon.com/2025/11/20/s...
Resharing this and shouting out my favorite in the issue…
It may be a day late, but I have a contribution to the Magazine Discourse. Which is a review of this month's issue of Clarkesworld Magazine. Which is a very good magazine. (Also there's an excellent novella in here) www.tarvolon.com/2025/11/18/t...
Tar Vol Reads a Magazine: Clarkesworld November 2025
Review of the November 2025 issue of the sci-fi short fiction magazine Clarkesworld, with a standalone novella The Apologists by Tade Thompson.
www.tarvolon.com
November 18, 2025 at 3:17 PM
Resharing this and shouting out my favorite in the issue…
Reposted by Jay
It may be a day late, but I have a contribution to the Magazine Discourse. Which is a review of this month's issue of Clarkesworld Magazine. Which is a very good magazine. (Also there's an excellent novella in here) www.tarvolon.com/2025/11/18/t...
Tar Vol Reads a Magazine: Clarkesworld November 2025
Review of the November 2025 issue of the sci-fi short fiction magazine Clarkesworld, with a standalone novella The Apologists by Tade Thompson.
www.tarvolon.com
November 18, 2025 at 12:29 AM
It may be a day late, but I have a contribution to the Magazine Discourse. Which is a review of this month's issue of Clarkesworld Magazine. Which is a very good magazine. (Also there's an excellent novella in here) www.tarvolon.com/2025/11/18/t...
The kids were quizzing each other on geography, and I kept trolling them with silly answers, but they absolutely lost it when I answered “what state starts with the letter P” with “Prince Edward Island.”
November 18, 2025 at 1:43 AM
The kids were quizzing each other on geography, and I kept trolling them with silly answers, but they absolutely lost it when I answered “what state starts with the letter P” with “Prince Edward Island.”
It may be a day late, but I have a contribution to the Magazine Discourse. Which is a review of this month's issue of Clarkesworld Magazine. Which is a very good magazine. (Also there's an excellent novella in here) www.tarvolon.com/2025/11/18/t...
Tar Vol Reads a Magazine: Clarkesworld November 2025
Review of the November 2025 issue of the sci-fi short fiction magazine Clarkesworld, with a standalone novella The Apologists by Tade Thompson.
www.tarvolon.com
November 18, 2025 at 12:29 AM
It may be a day late, but I have a contribution to the Magazine Discourse. Which is a review of this month's issue of Clarkesworld Magazine. Which is a very good magazine. (Also there's an excellent novella in here) www.tarvolon.com/2025/11/18/t...
Reposted by Jay
its a good magazine please give them some dollars haha im totally not biased by being a contributor haha what are you talking about (jokes aside! Ive been reading cw since i was like fifteen, and it has consistently delivered. its a good place to throw a coffee's worth of dollars at per month :3)
In light of the astronomical increases for my health insurance next year, I thought it would be a good time to encourage people to subscribe. (A few hundred should cover it. Sigh.)
clarkesworldmagazine.com/subscribe/
clarkesworldmagazine.com/subscribe/
November 17, 2025 at 4:22 PM
its a good magazine please give them some dollars haha im totally not biased by being a contributor haha what are you talking about (jokes aside! Ive been reading cw since i was like fifteen, and it has consistently delivered. its a good place to throw a coffee's worth of dollars at per month :3)
Dang, I really should’ve posted my Clarkesworld review today. I’ll see about making it happen tomorrow
Bluesky is all about magazines right now ( it's @kristadb1.bsky.social 's fault) and I'm here for it. And by here for it I've downloaded an embroidery magazine and an art pottery magazine from the library to peruse tonight.
November 17, 2025 at 1:33 AM
Dang, I really should’ve posted my Clarkesworld review today. I’ll see about making it happen tomorrow