MikeOfThePalace
@mikeofthepalace.bsky.social
Member of the Hugo Award finalist mod team of the /r/Fantasy subreddit.
SF/F reader & reviewer.
https://mikeofthepalace.wixsite.com/books/home
SF/F reader & reviewer.
https://mikeofthepalace.wixsite.com/books/home
Sign of the Dragon by @marysoonlee.bsky.social - well that was a masterpiece, and I might even stop crying some day. Epic poetry isn't something I read too much of, so thanks to my fellow r/Fantasy mod u/oboist73 for suggesting this. Full ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ review at bit.ly/3MbFyNn
“The Sign of the Dragon” by Mary Soon Lee
I’ve been reading this for the readalong started by my fellow r/Fantasy mod /u/oboist73, so a special thanks to her for making me aware of the existence of this excellent, excellent book. I may even f...
bit.ly
November 26, 2025 at 6:46 PM
Sign of the Dragon by @marysoonlee.bsky.social - well that was a masterpiece, and I might even stop crying some day. Epic poetry isn't something I read too much of, so thanks to my fellow r/Fantasy mod u/oboist73 for suggesting this. Full ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ review at bit.ly/3MbFyNn
It's not that often that a book manages to take me COMPLETELY by surprise, but @mikecarey.bsky.social managed it with Outlaw Planet, his standalone follow-up to the Pandominion duology. Full ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ review here: bit.ly/3KgRTiD
"Outlaw Planet" by M.R. Carey
It’s not often these days that a book manages to take me completely by surprise. But M.R. Carey (also known as Mike Carey) pulled it off with this one.This book is a standalone follow up to his excell...
bit.ly
November 25, 2025 at 3:26 PM
It's not that often that a book manages to take me COMPLETELY by surprise, but @mikecarey.bsky.social managed it with Outlaw Planet, his standalone follow-up to the Pandominion duology. Full ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ review here: bit.ly/3KgRTiD
Reposted by MikeOfThePalace
#TSOTD_note. "The Sign of the Dragon" has a Best Sellers Rank of 53,631 on Kindle just now. Best-selling authors would laugh derisively at this number, but it's the highest I remember seeing for my book, so I'm happy!
✏️📖🐉
N.B. Lower numbers are better, so there are over 50,000 books ahead of mine.
✏️📖🐉
N.B. Lower numbers are better, so there are over 50,000 books ahead of mine.
November 24, 2025 at 11:41 PM
#TSOTD_note. "The Sign of the Dragon" has a Best Sellers Rank of 53,631 on Kindle just now. Best-selling authors would laugh derisively at this number, but it's the highest I remember seeing for my book, so I'm happy!
✏️📖🐉
N.B. Lower numbers are better, so there are over 50,000 books ahead of mine.
✏️📖🐉
N.B. Lower numbers are better, so there are over 50,000 books ahead of mine.
Reposted by MikeOfThePalace
My new favorite kind of meme is "here are detailed instructions on how to turn off AI". 🔨
November 19, 2025 at 3:00 PM
My new favorite kind of meme is "here are detailed instructions on how to turn off AI". 🔨
Another excellent, excellent book from @angelaslatter.bsky.social. I'd meant to read it when it came out, but I'm glad I did not - this was a great book to read in the fall. Full ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ review at
bit.ly/3K1meBF
bit.ly/3K1meBF
“The Crimson Road” by A. G. Slatter
Yet another wonderful Gothic fantasy from A. G. (aka Angela) Slatter.As with the other books in Slatter’s Sourdough universe, this one doesn’t require you to have read anything else. Unlike All the Mu...
bit.ly
November 17, 2025 at 10:01 PM
Another excellent, excellent book from @angelaslatter.bsky.social. I'd meant to read it when it came out, but I'm glad I did not - this was a great book to read in the fall. Full ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ review at
bit.ly/3K1meBF
bit.ly/3K1meBF
Reposted by MikeOfThePalace
As of this morning, Starbucks workers across the country are officially ON STRIKE. And we're prepared for this to become the biggest and longest ULP strike in Starbucks history.
Say #NoContractNoCoffee with us: DON'T BUY STARBUCKS for the duration of our open-ended ULP strike! $SBUX
Say #NoContractNoCoffee with us: DON'T BUY STARBUCKS for the duration of our open-ended ULP strike! $SBUX
November 13, 2025 at 11:33 AM
As of this morning, Starbucks workers across the country are officially ON STRIKE. And we're prepared for this to become the biggest and longest ULP strike in Starbucks history.
Say #NoContractNoCoffee with us: DON'T BUY STARBUCKS for the duration of our open-ended ULP strike! $SBUX
Say #NoContractNoCoffee with us: DON'T BUY STARBUCKS for the duration of our open-ended ULP strike! $SBUX
Reading & enjoying The Crimson Road by @angelaslatter.bsky.social and filling out @katkale.bsky.social 's Sourdough Universe bingo card. Futher updates as things progress
November 9, 2025 at 1:41 PM
Reading & enjoying The Crimson Road by @angelaslatter.bsky.social and filling out @katkale.bsky.social 's Sourdough Universe bingo card. Futher updates as things progress
Dead Hand Rule by @maxgladstone.bsky.social - another fantastic entry in the series. Incredibly frustrating when characters I care about are on opposite sides for very good reasons. I needs book 4, I NEEDS IT. Full ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ review at bit.ly/4hREava
“Dead Hand Rule” by Max Gladstone
After finishing this book the first thing I had to do was catch my breath. Once I had it, I needed to let out a scream of frustrated rage that I don’t have book 4.I will avoid spoilers as best I can, ...
bit.ly
November 7, 2025 at 7:35 PM
Dead Hand Rule by @maxgladstone.bsky.social - another fantastic entry in the series. Incredibly frustrating when characters I care about are on opposite sides for very good reasons. I needs book 4, I NEEDS IT. Full ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ review at bit.ly/4hREava
PHILIP PULLMAN HAS A NEW BOOK OUT?! TODAY?!?!?! www.goodreads.com/book/show/22...
The Rose Field (The Book of Dust, #3)
Picking up right where The Secret Commonwealth left off…
www.goodreads.com
October 23, 2025 at 11:29 AM
PHILIP PULLMAN HAS A NEW BOOK OUT?! TODAY?!?!?! www.goodreads.com/book/show/22...
The Everlasting by @alixeharrow.bsky.social - well that was a freaking masterpiece. Both topical and timeless (rimshot), heartbreaking and uplifiting. Easy ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐. Full review at bit.ly/47e1yht
“The Everlasting” by Alix E. Harrow
The theme of this book, if I had to pick one, is that what makes a nation a nation is the story the people tell themselves. This is very topical; in many ways, the ongoing political conflict in the US...
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October 20, 2025 at 1:59 AM
The Everlasting by @alixeharrow.bsky.social - well that was a freaking masterpiece. Both topical and timeless (rimshot), heartbreaking and uplifiting. Easy ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐. Full review at bit.ly/47e1yht
"Red City" by Marie Lu - a Romeo & Juliet retelling, but with less choreography and tough guy finger snapping and more extreme violence from rival magical drug cartels. Intense read. Full ⭐⭐⭐⭐ review at bit.ly/3VQI25x
“Red City” by Marie Lu
This is the adult debut of YA author Marie Lu, and it’s a good one. Very intense.This is a Romeo & Juliet re-imagining. Instead of being from rival noble families in Verona, or rival ethnic street gan...
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October 7, 2025 at 7:01 PM
"Red City" by Marie Lu - a Romeo & Juliet retelling, but with less choreography and tough guy finger snapping and more extreme violence from rival magical drug cartels. Intense read. Full ⭐⭐⭐⭐ review at bit.ly/3VQI25x
"Kill the Beast" by @serratheswift.bsky.social - one of the more interesting Beauty & the Beast retellings I've ever read. Full ⭐⭐⭐⭐ review here: bit.ly/4gP1SYE
“Kill the Beast” by Serra Swift
This was one of the more interesting Beauty & the Beast retellings I’ve ever countered.To sum up the blurb: our protagonist Lyssa has spent her life dedicated to hunting down the immortal faerie beast...
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September 26, 2025 at 7:42 PM
"Kill the Beast" by @serratheswift.bsky.social - one of the more interesting Beauty & the Beast retellings I've ever read. Full ⭐⭐⭐⭐ review here: bit.ly/4gP1SYE
Reposted by MikeOfThePalace
There's an upcoming ReadAlong for "The Sign of the Dragon" on Reddit fantasy:
www.reddit.com/r/Fantasy/co...
As far as I can tell, it's organized by oboist73, to whom I'm greatly indebted for posting many many kind comments about "The Sign of the Dragon."
The first bit of the discussion is on 10/7
www.reddit.com/r/Fantasy/co...
As far as I can tell, it's organized by oboist73, to whom I'm greatly indebted for posting many many kind comments about "The Sign of the Dragon."
The first bit of the discussion is on 10/7
September 20, 2025 at 1:52 PM
There's an upcoming ReadAlong for "The Sign of the Dragon" on Reddit fantasy:
www.reddit.com/r/Fantasy/co...
As far as I can tell, it's organized by oboist73, to whom I'm greatly indebted for posting many many kind comments about "The Sign of the Dragon."
The first bit of the discussion is on 10/7
www.reddit.com/r/Fantasy/co...
As far as I can tell, it's organized by oboist73, to whom I'm greatly indebted for posting many many kind comments about "The Sign of the Dragon."
The first bit of the discussion is on 10/7
Sad to say that I was disappointed by John Scalzi's new Old Man's War novel "The Shattering Peace." We learn lots more about the Consu, which only serves to make them much less cool à la the Borg. Full ⭐⭐ review at bit.ly/4nBVNkc
“The Shattering Peace” by John Scalzi
This was a disappointment, I’m sorry to say.To start, my general feelings on Scalzi: I loved the Old Man’s War series for the most part, and a lot of his earlier stuff. I enjoyed Kaiju Preservation So...
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September 18, 2025 at 1:07 PM
Sad to say that I was disappointed by John Scalzi's new Old Man's War novel "The Shattering Peace." We learn lots more about the Consu, which only serves to make them much less cool à la the Borg. Full ⭐⭐ review at bit.ly/4nBVNkc
Reposted by MikeOfThePalace
It's a standard tactic of narcissist bullies to blame those abused within the situation the narcissist created for the effects of the situation the narcissist created, as a pretext for enacting further abuse.
It's not necessary to accept it, though. It's actually pretty important not to.
It's not necessary to accept it, though. It's actually pretty important not to.
September 11, 2025 at 10:48 AM
It's a standard tactic of narcissist bullies to blame those abused within the situation the narcissist created for the effects of the situation the narcissist created, as a pretext for enacting further abuse.
It's not necessary to accept it, though. It's actually pretty important not to.
It's not necessary to accept it, though. It's actually pretty important not to.
Reposted by MikeOfThePalace
In 2023 it was calling enemies "vermin" who were "poisoning the blood of the country," and promising "I am your retribution." In 2024 it was never-ending promises of violence to cheers and applause of people who wanted to see it done on their behalf. In 2025 they've been doing it. It's their world.
September 11, 2025 at 10:46 AM
In 2023 it was calling enemies "vermin" who were "poisoning the blood of the country," and promising "I am your retribution." In 2024 it was never-ending promises of violence to cheers and applause of people who wanted to see it done on their behalf. In 2025 they've been doing it. It's their world.
Reposted by MikeOfThePalace
In 2021 it was an actual attempted overthrow of the government, along with the attempted assassination of the Vice President and Congress. In 2022 it was laughing about the attempted assassination of Nancy Pelosi and the brutal attack on her husband by a deranged hammer-wielding maniac.
September 11, 2025 at 10:44 AM
In 2021 it was an actual attempted overthrow of the government, along with the attempted assassination of the Vice President and Congress. In 2022 it was laughing about the attempted assassination of Nancy Pelosi and the brutal attack on her husband by a deranged hammer-wielding maniac.
Reposted by MikeOfThePalace
In 2015 it was "lock her up." In 2016 it was "2nd amendment solutions." In 2017 it was telling cops "please don't be too nice." In 2018 "when the looting starts, the shooting starts." In 2019 it was "can't you just shoot them in the legs or something?" In 2020 it was "stand back and stand by."
September 11, 2025 at 10:43 AM
In 2015 it was "lock her up." In 2016 it was "2nd amendment solutions." In 2017 it was telling cops "please don't be too nice." In 2018 "when the looting starts, the shooting starts." In 2019 it was "can't you just shoot them in the legs or something?" In 2020 it was "stand back and stand by."
Reposted by MikeOfThePalace
This explains it better than I can
September 10, 2025 at 9:24 PM
This explains it better than I can
Nice of the Hugo folks, after more or less ignoring the /r/Fantasy bingo team during the awards, and indeed poking fun at us, to also leave us out of their non-apology. I wasn't expecting us to win, and am honestly quite happy to lose to Jordan S. Carroll, but we deserve respect regardless. 1/2
September 2, 2025 at 7:52 PM
Nice of the Hugo folks, after more or less ignoring the /r/Fantasy bingo team during the awards, and indeed poking fun at us, to also leave us out of their non-apology. I wasn't expecting us to win, and am honestly quite happy to lose to Jordan S. Carroll, but we deserve respect regardless. 1/2
Planned obsolescence is the WORST. If I'm paying very nearly nine dollars for a pair of earbuds, I should be able to expect them to keep working after a mere two trips though the washer and dryer.
#sorrynotsorry
#sorrynotsorry
August 3, 2025 at 4:43 PM
Planned obsolescence is the WORST. If I'm paying very nearly nine dollars for a pair of earbuds, I should be able to expect them to keep working after a mere two trips though the washer and dryer.
#sorrynotsorry
#sorrynotsorry
@melissacaruso.bsky.social Just finished a re-listen to Last Hour Between Worlds in anticipation of the sequel, and I have to ask - do you yourself own a pair of Damn Good Boots?
July 29, 2025 at 3:15 PM
@melissacaruso.bsky.social Just finished a re-listen to Last Hour Between Worlds in anticipation of the sequel, and I have to ask - do you yourself own a pair of Damn Good Boots?
The Bewithching by @silviamg.bsky.social interweaves witches from 1990s & 1930s New England and 1900s Mexico in an excellently high-tension horror novel (even if it's strange, given my recent reading, to read a book where witches aren't the protagonists) Full ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ review here: bit.ly/3U20qr9
“The Bewitching” by Silvia Moreno-Garcia
It says something about current literature trends that I found it very odd to read a book about witches where they aren’t determined women struggling against the patriarchy, but rather vindictive bein...
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July 27, 2025 at 4:47 PM
The Bewithching by @silviamg.bsky.social interweaves witches from 1990s & 1930s New England and 1900s Mexico in an excellently high-tension horror novel (even if it's strange, given my recent reading, to read a book where witches aren't the protagonists) Full ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ review here: bit.ly/3U20qr9
Fun novella from KJ Parker. A bunch of academics are given a horrible job but an interesting challenge, and get into it in spite themselves. Then things get wierd. Full review at
bit.ly/4eQgaXR
bit.ly/4eQgaXR
“Making History” by KJ Parker
This was a fun novella of the “author has cool idea that won’t work for an entire novel” type. I tend to love this kind of thing; it’s fun seeing authors get experimental and run with things.The premi...
bit.ly
July 13, 2025 at 4:12 AM
Fun novella from KJ Parker. A bunch of academics are given a horrible job but an interesting challenge, and get into it in spite themselves. Then things get wierd. Full review at
bit.ly/4eQgaXR
bit.ly/4eQgaXR
DNF for "Wearing the Lion" by John Wiswell, I'm sorry to say. In the end Hera was simply too unsympathetic a co-protagonist. Full review here: bit.ly/4kuN6WX
"Wearing the Lion" by John Wiswell
I admire John Wiswell for having the courage to try this. And the book was well written. But it wasn’t for me, and I gave up halfway through.No spoilers in this review that aren’t on the back of the b...
bit.ly
July 11, 2025 at 3:34 PM
DNF for "Wearing the Lion" by John Wiswell, I'm sorry to say. In the end Hera was simply too unsympathetic a co-protagonist. Full review here: bit.ly/4kuN6WX