Today's review is from @alexyquest.bsky.social, on the topic of Ray Nayler's Palaces of the Crow. Nayler has emerged as a writer of very chunky, challenging SFF, producing works of nuance and depth. In much that vein, Alex finds this one to "be both a heartbreaking *and* heartwarming read":

Palaces of the Crow by Ray Nayler

Palaces of the Crow somehow manages to be both heartbreaking and heartwarming.

strangehorizons.com

I need more people to be talking about THE WORKS OF VERMIN by @hironennes.bsky.social. I think about that book all the time.

Marty Cahill@mcflycahill90.bsky.social · 3w ago

What's a book you love with all your goddamn heart that you believe did NOT get the love and attention it's due? I'll go first, and it's abso-LUT-ely THE CITY IN GLASS by Nghi Vo. There are moments from that book that live in my blood and wake me from the dark.

GUESS WHAT!!! @strongbranchpro.bsky.social is hosting a speculative short play reading series at @goblinmkt.bsky.social! Requirements: must be speculative (SFF/horror/magical realism/slipstream), must be 10 min Script form: forms.gle/rRQZmTh5R5hC... Actor form: forms.gle/YyPyQ37cGyU4...

Our episode on this year's Worldcon (@laworldcon.bsky.social) is live! Featuring interviews with @thomasha.bsky.social, @alexyquest.bsky.social, & more, and a live podcast mash-up with @hugogirlpodcast.bsky.social, @octothorpecast.bsky.social, & @worldbuildcast.bsky.social! Plus: the coffee report.

A Meal of Thorns 58- LACON V

Worldcon episode time: we’ve got interviews, we’ve got a coffee report, we’ve got an only-mildly chaotic group podcast attempt! Podcasts, reviews, interviews, essays, and more at …

ancillaryreviewofbooks.org

CONGRATS HH!!!! So well deserved!!!

An Unofficial Hugo Book Club Blog@hugobookclub.bsky.social · last mo.

Youngest-ever Hugo winning author @hhpak.bsky.social at the Hugos on Sunday night (Photo by Kelcey Bauer)

a smattering of @laworldcon.bsky.social pics

CALL FOR READERS! The Deep Dish reading series is BACK for the Fall, starting Oct 1. Wanna read with us? Sign up to join our list: forms.gle/MqU6uCUbf6ob...

STAFF FEATURE: Alex Kingsley (they/them) is a writer, game designer, and playwright. They are a co-founder of the new media company Strong Branch Productions & author of Empress of Dust, Relic of Haven, and works appearing in publications such as Strange Horizons, Translunar Travelers Lounge & more.

Reading the earliest chapter 5 ideas when I made it up in like 2016

What is the role of an artist amidst turmoil? If you've been asking yourself this question, join us for our virtual panel: Challenges of Being an Artist in Difficult Times, Saturday July 25 3PM CDT. Link to join: us06web.zoom.us/j/83650201648

LUCIANUS is nearly here! every time I make one of these posts I try to think of something more clever to say other than “this shit slaps” but today…today I’m just gonna say THIS SHIT SLAPS! 📚💙📚🪐 get it here: mybook.to/lucianus

That's one day of the membership drive in the books, and already we're 13% of the way towards our goal! Thank you to all our new members! Remember to join us for our Kick-Off panel today at 3pm CDT.

The SLF’s membership drive is growing close! To kick off the next month of content, we’ll be hosting a kickoff panel on July 11th from 3-4:30pm CDT. Members of our wonderful staff will be there to talk about the opportunities that the SLF offers. We look forward to seeing you all there!

BLAST OFF! The SLF Membership Drive Begins! What can you do to help? Well, become a member, of course. Our goal is to reach 100 new members after 30 days. But what are the benefits of becoming an SLF member? Stay tuned to find out.

I’ve got a paper in this!!! 🤖🦾 please check it out!!!!

Douglas A. Van Belle@dougvanbelle.bsky.social · 3mo ago

The Selected Proceedings from the 2025 Seattle WorldCon are out, and note that we negotiated a very low price for the softcover version for both classroom use and so worldcon members can afford to grab a copy. link.springer.com/book/9789819...

That @alexyquest.bsky.social is back at SH today, reading a volume of Rebecca Roanhorse's short fiction. "The throughline of these stories is not simply the representation of Indigenous and Black characters, but rather themes of fraught identity."

River of Bones and Other Stories by Rebecca Roanhorse

Sociopolitical SF is at its strongest when it is not a cut-and-dry allegory.

strangehorizons.com

Thanks for the shoutout!! ❤️ I had a great time working on this audiobook. I recommend it often!

Eve Harms, Orph Understander@eveharms.com · 4mo ago

Delighted by this post!! I also wanted to give a shout out to @sadiabies.bsky.social who created this beautiful cover and @alexyquest.bsky.social who did the sound mastering! This audiobook was a self-produced labor of love with an all trans crew, and I couldn't be more proud of the work we did 🖤🏳️‍⚧️

Back the campaign and you can preorder it, along with the rest of the series! www.backerkit.com/c/projects/s...

Space Wizard Science Fantasy: Year 5, part 1!

It's Space Wizard's fifth anniversary, and we have some great titles for you! From reincarnated wizards to post-apocalyptic Florida, rocket racing, martial arts, space rabbits, and giant crabs, we've ...

backerkit.com

Alex Kingsley@alexyquest.bsky.social · 4mo ago

COVER REVEAL! 🦀🦌The third and FINAL book of The Bastion Cycle comes out with @wctracy.bsky.social this November!

COVER REVEAL! 🦀🦌The third and FINAL book of The Bastion Cycle comes out with @wctracy.bsky.social this November!

fun fact, EMPRESS is now available to illinois residents through biblioboard 😍 yay libraries!!!! library.biblioboard.com/content/4dde...

Proud to be the 100th backer 😎 on @BackerKit Crowdfunding for Space Wizard Science Fantasy: Year 5, part 1!! www.backerkit.com/c/projects/s...

Space Wizard Science Fantasy: Year 5, part 1!

It's Space Wizard's fifth anniversary, and we have some great titles for you! From reincarnated wizards to post-apocalyptic Florida, rocket racing, martial arts, space rabbits, and giant crabs, we've ...

backerkit.com

Day Five "Empress of Dust" by Alex Kingsley #booksky #pridemonth @alexyquest.bsky.social

Favorite moments include: - escaping to the woods w/ @stefenahhh.bsky.social & @traewrites.bsky.social - talking science w/ @alexyquest.bsky.social & everyone on the hard science fiction panel & after - parking lot wisdom from @jordankurella.com - @shingai-be-like.bsky.social showing up at the end

My first panel at the #Nebulas2026 is tomorrow June 4th, 3:00 PM – 4:00 PM, Panel 1-5 (O’Hare II) – Building Emotional Resonance with Hard Science and Facts, with: William Ledbetter @williamledbetter.bsky.social Alexis Westmore @alexiswestmore.bsky.social & Alex Kingsley @alexyquest.bsky.social

Comment on this month’s podcast from a guest on last month’s, noting the layered exchanges between the two. This is the aim! Note last month’s other guest, @alexyquest.bsky.social, is in this Month’s episode itself, with some specially recorded audio following up on the discussion around debuts.

Critical Friends Episode 24: On Oeuvres

Kate Macdonald and Duncan Lawie join Dan Hartland to tackle the question of the back catalog.

strangehorizons.com

Hana Carolina@hanacarolina.bsky.social · 4mo ago

A brilliant listen! Fantastic episode with a wealth of experience and a great density of topics. And dare I say, with some implied and not-so-implied parallels to the previous episode that I deeply connected to. Hearing such established voices discuss these things is both humbling and affirming.

ive got 99 problems and they’re all related to chronic illness

I did my author interview with @wctracy.bsky.social and you can see it here (IF you follow the project 👀 Only then can you hear my secret wisdom) www.backerkit.com/c/projects/s...

Space Wizard Science Fantasy: Year 5, part 1! Project Update: Author Interview with Alex Kingsley

Hello folks! Here is the fourth video for our Space Wizard Year 5, Part 1 Launch Party! Stay tuned all through May for more videos and the May 28 start of the Book Bazaar Sum...

backerkit.com

Looking for 8 new #queer #fantasy and #sciencefiction books? It's Space Wizard's 5th anniversary, and this campaign will be a big one! Make sure to sign up for out launch party to see interviews with the authors! www.backerkit.com/c/projects/s...

Space Wizard Science Fantasy: Year 5, part 1! Launch Party

Get excited about Space Wizard Science Fantasy: Year 5, part 1! on BackerKit - come join!

backerkit.com

“just ask ChatGPT” first of all no but second of all I couldn’t even if I wanted to because they BANNED GOBLINS. now I can’t even think about AI without invoking an arcane warding spell

NEW PODCAST ALERT This week's episode of our Critical Friends podcast features Hana Carolina @hanacarolina.bsky.social and Alex Kingsley @alexyquest.bsky.social alongside Dan Hartland @danhartland.bsky.social discussing reviews of debut books and authors. Link ⬇️ strangehorizons.com/wordpress/po...