#BookReview: LIVES OF BITTER RAIN by Adrian Tchaikovsky
@aptshadow.bsky.social @headofzeus.bsky.social

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In the UK, Waterstones have a 25% off pre-order sale including some of my books, using the code OCTOBER25. The following are in the deal:
Bee Speaker (paperback): tidd.ly/42Z03Cw
Lives of Bitter Rain: tidd.ly/3VVn6dG
Pretenders to the Throne of God: tidd.ly/46WjEEJ

include big promises from "a podcast miniseries" to "limited edition hardcover with annotated author's notes" which is pretty big talk. I've heard of other authors getting similar unsolicited pitches but just a warning that this junk us out there.

interesting it's gone fromterrible dull English to terribly overwritten English. I do wonder what it's been trained on. It's also very detailed, with a fair amount of accuracy (i.e. relates the book to others in its series, presumably drawing on existing summaries/release posts). "deliverables"

Had a fantastically effusive message from "Dinah Arnold Literary" who use a gmail address and do not otherwise seem to exist, praising a recent book in quite extraordinarily purple prose and setting out a detailed "campaign strategy" to market it. Assume AI generated, but it's

Genuinely delighted to say I'll be guest of honor, along with the fantastic Adrian Tchaikovsky (@aptshadow.bsky.social), at Octocon (@octocon.bsky.social), the National Irish Science Fiction Convention, in Cork, Ireland over October 3-4, 2026! I hope to see some (many!) of you there!

Out today, the latest Tyrant Philosophers piece - book 3.5 in the series is a novella length offering about the life of Angilly, who we met in Days of Shattered Faith. You don’t need to have read that (or any of them) to read this.

Oof.

Editor: “We loved it but…”

I mean I do but it does end up with you swallowing a horse.

Maybe they could have gone to watch one of the myriad previous Batman reboots and that’s where Bruce gets the idea from.

Curious about Eastercon Iridescence but not sure your finances can stretch for you to attend? Check out the bursary scheme (details in the quoted post and link) and don’t self-reject.

Thanks!

First sight from Last Dangerous Visions? No connection at all.

making tea feels like a Fabian thing.

This week's Oktobersketch vignette. All quiet on the front.

It blew my mind when I found out honestly. Xenophon's Anabasis.

Also based on, I think, a 4th century BC original?

Post battle report: after analysing the 50% casualty rate we are recommending all troops wear helmets in future engagements.

‘But you visited my profile on LinkedIn how is that not an invitation?’

This (Clarke-nominated) book really is excellent. Highly recommended.

I mean it *looks* like a turd tbh.

Not tried it although if you wanted a starter fantasy rpg it has one of the clearest and best organised rulebooks I ever saw. Also the Egerkrans art is lovely.