James Bennett
@jamesbennett.bsky.social
British Fantasy Award-Winning author 🏳️🌈
The Ben Garston Novels. Book of Queer Saints. The Dark magazine.
Website: https://james-bennett.org/
'Inventive and vivid'
Publishers Weekly
The Ben Garston Novels. Book of Queer Saints. The Dark magazine.
Website: https://james-bennett.org/
'Inventive and vivid'
Publishers Weekly
There does seem to be a double standard at play, yes.
January 18, 2026 at 5:39 PM
There does seem to be a double standard at play, yes.
Yes! And when Theoden cries for his son and Gandalf counsels him. That always gets to me too.
January 18, 2026 at 4:51 PM
Yes! And when Theoden cries for his son and Gandalf counsels him. That always gets to me too.
True. Death is pretty pleased about it though.
January 18, 2026 at 1:51 PM
True. Death is pretty pleased about it though.
How about Brunel's "Triumph of Death"? Not quite the same vibe, but lots of corpses.
January 18, 2026 at 1:48 PM
How about Brunel's "Triumph of Death"? Not quite the same vibe, but lots of corpses.
One so far. You know which.
January 18, 2026 at 11:11 AM
One so far. You know which.
I'm still reading "Absolution" by Jeff VanderMeer (as editing time allows). Great so far. Very strange and absorbing, and it holds the tone of the others perfectly.
January 18, 2026 at 9:59 AM
I'm still reading "Absolution" by Jeff VanderMeer (as editing time allows). Great so far. Very strange and absorbing, and it holds the tone of the others perfectly.
I was pretty disappointed. The first third sets up an intriguing premise, but then just doesn't live up to it. It becomes all weirdness/vibes with not much behind it, sadly.
January 17, 2026 at 9:23 PM
I was pretty disappointed. The first third sets up an intriguing premise, but then just doesn't live up to it. It becomes all weirdness/vibes with not much behind it, sadly.
It gets weird and after a strong start, loses its way, I thought. Ultimately, it wasn't for me.
January 17, 2026 at 9:19 PM
It gets weird and after a strong start, loses its way, I thought. Ultimately, it wasn't for me.
Wrote this because I am *not* writing my honest question. 🤣
January 17, 2026 at 3:16 PM
Wrote this because I am *not* writing my honest question. 🤣
Who maintains the wood at the beacons of Gondor?
January 17, 2026 at 3:11 PM
Who maintains the wood at the beacons of Gondor?
Precisely. And dare I say I think that's by design.
January 17, 2026 at 11:11 AM
Precisely. And dare I say I think that's by design.
But in essence, what's being presented is a human experience. Anyone can fall in love with someone who doesn't reciprocate. Anyone.
January 17, 2026 at 11:10 AM
But in essence, what's being presented is a human experience. Anyone can fall in love with someone who doesn't reciprocate. Anyone.
Yeah the stand-in troubles me, as does "lived experience". It seems to be a co-option of queer terminology in order to frame cishet in a minority light, which is exactly the reductive, mocking and demeaning element I was talking about.
January 17, 2026 at 11:08 AM
Yeah the stand-in troubles me, as does "lived experience". It seems to be a co-option of queer terminology in order to frame cishet in a minority light, which is exactly the reductive, mocking and demeaning element I was talking about.