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
· 18d
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
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
Sportsing is still happening, but it’s not night?
I shouldn't post a review at nearly nine o'clock on a Saturday, especially with all the sportsing happening, but. . . The Fire-Moon by Isabel Pelech is a fun little fantasy novella. I'll try to remember to reshare at a less terrible time www.tarvolon.com/2025/11/15/f...
Fantasy Book Review: The Fire-Moon by Isabel Pelech
Review of Egypt-inspired middle-grade desert fantasy novella The Fire-Moon by indie author Isabel Pelech.
www.tarvolon.com
November 16, 2025 at 6:24 PM
Sportsing is still happening, but it’s not night?
Welp. Was bound to happen at some point. Not a bad game overall
November 16, 2025 at 2:44 AM
Welp. Was bound to happen at some point. Not a bad game overall
3-3, late in the game, and…Gunnar Henderson is up?
November 16, 2025 at 2:31 AM
3-3, late in the game, and…Gunnar Henderson is up?
Gostisbehere has been incredible since getting back
November 16, 2025 at 2:20 AM
Gostisbehere has been incredible since getting back
. . . that's what happens when you don't translate ice-tilt into a lead. They can strike so fast.
November 16, 2025 at 2:13 AM
. . . that's what happens when you don't translate ice-tilt into a lead. They can strike so fast.
The sequence that just happened in the MSU/Mizzou game is one of the dumbest things I have seen in a long time, and I watch a lot of college football
November 16, 2025 at 2:02 AM
The sequence that just happened in the MSU/Mizzou game is one of the dumbest things I have seen in a long time, and I watch a lot of college football
I shouldn't post a review at nearly nine o'clock on a Saturday, especially with all the sportsing happening, but. . . The Fire-Moon by Isabel Pelech is a fun little fantasy novella. I'll try to remember to reshare at a less terrible time www.tarvolon.com/2025/11/15/f...
Fantasy Book Review: The Fire-Moon by Isabel Pelech
Review of Egypt-inspired middle-grade desert fantasy novella The Fire-Moon by indie author Isabel Pelech.
www.tarvolon.com
November 16, 2025 at 1:47 AM
I shouldn't post a review at nearly nine o'clock on a Saturday, especially with all the sportsing happening, but. . . The Fire-Moon by Isabel Pelech is a fun little fantasy novella. I'll try to remember to reshare at a less terrible time www.tarvolon.com/2025/11/15/f...
Really excellent period of hockey. Unfortunate to not take the lead there. Try to keep it up in the third I guess
November 16, 2025 at 1:45 AM
Really excellent period of hockey. Unfortunate to not take the lead there. Try to keep it up in the third I guess
The patience by Blake there. . .
November 16, 2025 at 1:11 AM
The patience by Blake there. . .
That was as pretty as the first goal was ugly.
November 16, 2025 at 12:41 AM
That was as pretty as the first goal was ugly.
Two days in a row giving up two goals on the first four shots. This one feels a lot worse
November 16, 2025 at 12:26 AM
Two days in a row giving up two goals on the first four shots. This one feels a lot worse