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Doors of Sleep, by Tim Pratt

rachelmanija: (Books: old)
[personal profile] rachelmanija
Saturday, April 25th, 2026 01:47 pm


This is the first book I've read by Tim Pratt. I had somehow gotten the impression that they wrote very highbrow, abstract sf that I probably wouldn't enjoy. I have no idea where that came from because this novel, which I tried because of the delightful premise, is completely not that and I enjoyed it very much.

Zax Delatree, a social worker/mediator from a utopian post-scarcity world, develops a condition where he travels to a random other world every time he sleeps. Through a lot of trial and error, he also discovers that he can take with him items on his person, and also other people if he's touching them when he falls asleep. If they're asleep too, they will arrive fine. If they're not, they arrive insane. ("The Jaunt" is one of many spottable influences.) Here's Zax and his companion, Minna, explaining their situation:

"Do you know the word 'multiverse?' [...] We're travelers, sort of. Sort of explorers. And sort of refugees."

"If this is true, the implications are immense."

"The implications are also very small and also personal," said Minna.

This is the most charming and heartfelt novel I've read in a while. It's mostly a picaresque, with Zax and Minna (and assorted friends and pursuing enemies) visiting all sorts of colorful other worlds, exploring and surviving and trying to be of use. The many worlds are great, I loved Zax and Minna and the friends they meet, and it's full of sense of wonder and hopefulness and people being kind under extremely difficult circumstances. I also liked that Zax and Minna are friends who are explicitly not romantically or sexually involved with each other.

There is a sequel, Prison of Sleep, which I have ordered.
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2026.04.25

lsanderson: (Default)
[personal profile] lsanderson
Saturday, April 25th, 2026 10:57 am
The Legislature wants to save HCMC. How will it happen?
Lawmakers are expressing confidence in keeping HCMC afloat but wrestling with imperfect options, including raising taxes, one-time funding or a combination of both.
by Maddie Robinson
https://www.minnpost.com/community-health/2026/04/hcmc-the-legislature-wants-to-save-it-how/

A new thermal battery could help this Minnesota campus electrify heat
Cache Energy’s pilot project harnesses excess wind power from UMN Morris’ two turbines to heat a carpentry shop and could be expanded across campus.
By Brian Martucci, Canary Media
https://www.minnpost.com/energy/2026/04/new-thermal-battery-could-help-minnesota-campus-electrify-heat/ ( Read more... )

minimal (health) update

fred_mouse: bright red 'love' heart with stethoscope (health)
[personal profile] fred_mouse
Saturday, April 25th, 2026 09:57 pm

last update was a week ago. At some point I'll have the energy to get back to the posting frequency I was happy with. Probably not until the con is over though.

healing: I thought the peeling was done - nope, skin on nipple is not shedding correctly and builds up. Fine if I notice before it itches, but has to be manually removed. However, nipple and general breast soreness is enough better that I'm wearing a regular rather than surgical recovery bra without the protective ring, so I'm calling that a win. Fatigue continues to hit sooner and harder than I expect.

medication: I have now been on the hormone suppressant for a week and a bit. I'm not noticing mood effects, but it is mucking with my sleep to the point that I'm back trying melatonin so that I can fall asleep before 2am. As side effects go, this is manageable, especially if the melatonin works to get me back into a sensible cycle, because if it works as previous I can get the sleep pattern back on track in a couple of weeks.

Beyond that, I have achieved bugger all today, and I'm so tired, but not in a 'could fall asleep' so not attempting other updates.

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Not a book review: Farah Mendlesohn's "Considering the Female Man by Joanna Russ"

glaurung: (Default)
[personal profile] glaurung
Saturday, April 25th, 2026 08:12 am
Joanna Russ was one of my favourite authors in college. I discovered her via the Adventures of Alyx, then was blown away by the Female Man, and then tracked down every book by her I could find. I read the Female Man a couple times on my own before eagerly signing up for two courses that included it on their reading lists.

I hugely enjoyed Farah Mendlesohn's book of Heinlein criticism, and Farah is also a friend, so I super eagerly pre-ordered this and was all but bouncing up and down when it arrived in the mail last month.

And then I read it, and... I don't know why, but it just didn't click for me.

Not that there's anything wrong with the book, it's a perfectly good study of the novel, delving deep into the structure of the narrative and exploring its roots as a modernist novel in the tradition of Virginia Woolf, looking at how previous critics seem unable to grapple with the plot properly, briefly discussing the influence Russ's Jewish heritage may have had, among other things.

But somehow, instead of being full of ideas and thoughts after reading it, I just put it on the shelf and moved on to the next book.

I think this is a me problem rather than a problem with the book, and I don't have any idea why.
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There's a new Penric & Desdemona book out!

thewayne: (Default)
[personal profile] thewayne
Saturday, April 25th, 2026 12:39 am
The title is Darksight Dare and it dropped a couple of days ago.

HOWEVER, there may be a problem with the Kindle release. There are reports that the edition that was available as soon it released was only about half there. The Apple edition was complete.

I haven't read it yet, I'm working on a 'making of' book of Monty Python's Life of Brian! As it is one of my absolute favorite books of all time, it has a little priority. I'll read the Bujold next.
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The Language of Liars, by S. L. Huang

rachelmanija: (Books: old)
[personal profile] rachelmanija
Friday, April 24th, 2026 10:29 am


A science fiction novella about aliens, communication, and certain dark topics which are spoilery to mention. Though if you read the blurb for this book, it very strongly implies those topics and the specific shocking twist that involves them. It reminded me of China Mieville's Embassytown, though the latter benefited from its longer length.

Ro's species, along with some others, can jump into the minds of Star Eaters, the mysterious species that alone can mine the mineral that enables space travel. Ro is told that doing so is the only way to study them, and while jumping into their bodies extinguishes their minds, they are extremely long-lived beings and their minds definitely come back, so Ro is only doing the equivalent of causing a day-long blackout. The Star Eaters were apparently once enslaved, but now work voluntarily; communication with them is difficult and puzzling. Once you jump in, you're stuck for the rest of your life, but Ro is such a curious and skilled linguist that he's willing to give up everything to understand this oddly mysterious race. (I guess the possessing being's mind is supposed to only live for its species's normal lifespan? This is not explained.)

If you've read much science fiction, or many books in general, you have probably already figured out what's really going on. In fact it's so obvious that it seems strange that it takes the characters so long to do so, but of course no one knows exactly what story they're in.

Everything involving alien communication is great. But the plot is so predictable and grim that I didn't enjoy the book much.

( Read more... )
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2026.04.24

lsanderson: (Default)
[personal profile] lsanderson
Friday, April 24th, 2026 10:16 am
Unveiled in 2024, Minnesota’s state flag is flying more proudly today
The Minnesota flag means more today after becoming a unifying symbol during the ICE occupation — at least for some Minnesotans.
by Bill Lindeke
https://www.minnpost.com/cityscape/2026/04/minnesota-flag-is-flying-more-proudly-today/

Documenters report: Home energy resources available for Minneapolis & St. Paul residents
The latest Southside Green Zone Council meeting covered energy resources and several ways for Green Zone residents to get involved.
By Twin Cities Documenters
https://www.minnpost.com/documenters/2026/04/documenters-report-home-energy-resources-available-for-minneapolis-st-paul-residents/ ( Read more... )

Book acquisition

fred_mouse: top down view of hot cup of coffee with 'friday!' written over the top (friday)
[personal profile] fred_mouse
Friday, April 24th, 2026 10:48 pm

I've been doing a lot of staring at bookshelves (bookshops, libraries), online library catalogues, publishers websites, book recommendation sites, online book retail sites and a range of other places that seemed like a good idea at the time. I have not completed the full systematic search I want to have done, but I'm allowing that some of that is going to happen during the writing phase, because I do not actually expect to find the kinds of books I'm after in most of those places.

My spreadsheet of books now has over 150 entries. Quite a lot fail one or more of the inclusion criteria, and some of those are duplicates because I'm attempting to capture the sources as well (will I analyse that? no, probably not. Am I capturing it anyway because I think it will have the potential for me to talk about? yes). Several I've already started reading. I'm most excited about Attack of the Smart Speakers, which I'm halfway through, and as I'm writing my reading notes I keep writing enthusiastic commentary. This one is a bit frustrating because it is a library copy, and so I'm writing more than I would if I could just mark up my copy -- I've now ordered a me copy to annotate.

I'm also really happy with Orion Lost, although I'm not sure how much that one is going to fall in a heap in terms of getting done, because the next set of plot beats have the potential to go places I'm not comfortable following. Yes, it is middle grade fiction, and it will be resolved, but some of where it has already gone has required a few breaks. (I'm aware that these are me specific emotional land mines and that they aren't affecting my interpretation, just how fast I can cope with it). Plus, I put it aside to deal with library books that are due next week (I found three possibles of which two are yeses).

Which brings me to my evening -- I have spent some hours on The Nile and Fishpond websites looking for books that might suit my parameters. On The Nile, I found searching for 'AI' and then filtering to books / fiction / children and young adult did a reasonable job; on Fishpond I found no search that was useful. And then at the end of that I looked through my spreadsheet, picked what was reasonably priced and high in my priority rankings and was a variety of options, and ordered Slightly Too Many Books. Including one co-authored by Farah Mendelsohn, which was has been in my wishlist for multiple years and was about half the price I remember it being (Farah is going to be the GUFF delegate to the local con this year, so I'm extra motivated. Will I take everything I own of theirs to be signed? probably not. But I'm not ruling out the possibility).

And now I have to wait. The original delivery date range when I looked was mid May, and when I checked out it was early to mid June, so who knows when I'll get any of them. I have no shortage of things to be getting on with, but I'm presenting my initial findings at the end of May!

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Radio Silence

lovelyangel: Frieren in Frieren S2 Ep3 (Frieren Shame)
[personal profile] lovelyangel
Thursday, April 23rd, 2026 07:50 pm
Quite unusual... I haven’t posted for 10 days – and in the not-quite-24 years this blog has been in existence, I’ve averaged more than one blog post a day.

In conjunction, I haven’t taken any photos, either, so there aren’t any photography posts. Mainly, I’ve had my head down, working on sorting and organizing stuff in the garage – and also tending to issues in the rest of the house. There have been some setbacks, and I’m not sure I’ll hit my target goal of having the house fully operational by the end of the month. Seems like every day I get sidetracked onto something else to fix.

We’ve had some sunny days here in Oregon – ideal for opening the garage door and working in the garage. Rain came back for a couple of days, but the forecast is for sunny (or non-rainy) weather for the next seven days, with high temperatures in the mid-to-upper 60’s °F. Perfect. I am hoping to get Shizu back into the garage next week. She’s been in exile for more than seven months.

Anyway, I’m still here – just very focused on the house. I’ll have a better update at the end of the month – or whenever the final piece falls into place. I really need to get things wrapped up in April, as May is going to be a busy month.
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2026.04.23

lsanderson: (Default)
[personal profile] lsanderson
Thursday, April 23rd, 2026 10:49 am
Explaining Republicans and DFLers different points of view on fraud
A House debate over a fraud prevention bill this week illustrated a contrast in how each party contemplates fraud.
by Matthew Blake
https://www.minnpost.com/state-government/capitol-conversations/2026/04/minnesota-fraud-prevention-house-republicans-dflers-different-points-of-view/

Minneapolis City Council finds something to agree on: process
In a moment of cohesion, the Council has made clear to the Minneapolis Charter Commission that they’d like to approve the mayor’s appointments, thank you very much.
by Trevor Mitchell
https://www.minnpost.com/metro/2026/04/minneapolis-city-council-finds-something-to-agree-on-process/ ( Read more... )

2026.04.22

lsanderson: (Default)
[personal profile] lsanderson
Wednesday, April 22nd, 2026 11:03 am
More than 70 Minnesota children were detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers during Operation Metro Surge, according to an analysis of court records and federal deportation data by Sahan Journal. The analysis also found that nearly two dozen children were held in custody for more than 20 days. And seven Minnesota children ages 4 to 17 remained in detention as of March 10. Via MinnPost
https://sahanjournal.com/immigration/ice-detention-data-minnesota-children-operation-metro-surge/

An estimated 3,000 to 3,500 gallons of crude corn oil spilled from a barge into the Mississippi River Monday afternoon near Red Wing, KTTC reported. The Red Wing Fire Department responded to the ADM riverfront facility around noon, where ADM staff had placed a containment boom around the barge to prevent downstream drift, the city said in a news release. The scene has been turned over to ADM staff and Clean Harbors for continued response, with no immediate risk to the public, officials said. Via MinnPost
https://www.kare11.com/article/news/local/thousands-of-gallons-of-crude-corn-oil-spilled-into-mississippi-river-near-red-wing/89-4099127a-b22c-4273-bbee-84273732c035?tbref=hp
https://www.redwingmn.gov/m/newsflash/Home/Detail/938 ( Read more... )

Another first contact

mrissa: (Default)
[personal profile] mrissa
Wednesday, April 22nd, 2026 09:49 am
 I hope you're not tired of first contact stories, because I've gone and written another one. Apparently this is what's on my mind lately? Anyway here's Waiting for Them in Nature Futures, go, read, enjoy!

I'm a Hugo Finalist!?

renay: photo of the milky way from new zealand on a clear night (Default)
[personal profile] renay[community profile] ladybusiness
Tuesday, April 21st, 2026 11:03 pm
( let's get EMOTIONAL )
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RIP: Dave Mason, 79

thewayne: (Default)
[personal profile] thewayne
Tuesday, April 21st, 2026 09:12 pm
If you're into older rock, Dave Mason is a name a name that you'll either recognize right off the bat or you won't. But when you hear the people whom he's worked with, and what he's done, then you start to wonder if you haven't heard of him.

Here's the first two paragraphs from the Variety obit:
"Dave Mason, solo artist, a founding member of the band Traffic, writer of the classic rock songs “Feelin’ Alright” and “Hole in My Shoe” and sideman to the Rolling Stones, George Harrison and Jimi Hendrix, has died, according to an announcement from his publicist. He was 79.

Mason was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame with the other original members of Traffic in 2004. In the 1970s he enjoyed solo hits with “Only You Know and I Know” and “We Just Disagree,” and over the years he also performed or recorded with David Crosby, Graham Nash, Michael Jackson, Cass Elliot, Leon Russell and others."

Let me repeat some of those names. A founding member of Traffic. The Rolling Stones. George Harrison. Jimi Hendrix (he played 12 string guitar on All Along The Watchtower). Crosby and Nash. Michael Jackson. Momma Cass. He also was a member of Fleetwood Mac. Feelin' Alright was not a hit for Traffic, but it pretty much launched Joe Cocker's career.

AND inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

A singer, writer, and performer. Triple threat. Definitely a formidable and accomplished artist. Cause of death was not released, though two years ago he cancelled a tour due to unspecified heart issues.

A great one has taken his final bow.

https://variety.com/2026/music/obituaries-people-news/dave-mason-dead-traffic-feelin-alright-rock-hall-fame-1236727460/
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this is a lot of people all at once (Len McCain)

julian: Picture of the sign for Julian Street. (Default)
[personal profile] julian
Tuesday, April 21st, 2026 12:49 pm
A friend of mine died last week. He was, all in all, much more a friend of friends of mine, plus he was one of Calluna's sort-of-exes, but he *was* also one of my local friends, though I hadn't seen him in eons. Quiet, political, slid funny into everything like a very friendly dagger. African American, aware of it, aware of the political implications. Fannish.

He was [personal profile] telepresence over on LJ, though I don't think he ever came over here.

Calluna (who is White) tells the story of how they were walking along somewhere or other in Boston, in the early 2000s, (or possibly late 90s) and she suddenly noticed them getting odd looks and she stopped in the middle of a crosswalk and said, "...Wait..." and then loudly burst out, "Are you telling me I'm dating a man and I'm *still* not socially acceptable?"

I don't know if COVID-19 had anything to do with this -- he was having heart failure for a few years, apparently -- but I will take the opportunity to link to [profile] werpiper's memorial talk at Ny's Online Thing anyway, because it *might* have. As she notes, there is a lot of Not Talking About It.
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2024.04.21

lsanderson: (Default)
[personal profile] lsanderson
Tuesday, April 21st, 2026 10:29 am
Minnesota boy fighting for life after rescuing younger brother from creek
Ashkan Thibodeaux, five years old, saved his kid brother Wyatt after he fell into ‘icy water’ of creek they were exploring
Ramon Antonio Vargas
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/apr/21/minnesota-child-hospitalized-rescues-brother-in-creek

Some US farmers say federal rural energy grants cut by Trump were ‘about freedom’
The REAP grant and loan program and the clean energy tax credit have been rolled back under the Trump administration.
By Ayurella Horn-Muller, Melina Walling, Clayton Aldern, & M.K. Wildeman, AP and Grist
https://www.minnpost.com/environment/2026/04/some-us-farmers-say-federal-rural-energy-grants-cut-by-trump-were-about-freedom/ ( Read more... )

Fight for the best world, but don't be stupid about it.

seawasp: (Default)
[personal profile] seawasp
Tuesday, April 21st, 2026 09:17 am
 
A cut for length...

( Read more... )




2026.04.20

lsanderson: (Default)
[personal profile] lsanderson
Monday, April 20th, 2026 11:16 am
As Democrats debate their relationship with Israel, AIPAC donations to Angie Craig complicate her campaign
Craig stopped taking direct money from the pro-Israel group after declaring her candidacy for the Senate, but it continued holding fundraisers for her.
by Ana Radelat and Shadi Bushra
https://www.minnpost.com/national/washington/2026/04/as-democrats-debate-their-relationship-with-israel-aipac-donations-to-angie-craig-complicate-her-campaign/

A Minnesota group’s lawsuit says immigration courts are hiding behind locked doors, closed video conferencing
The Advocates for Human Rights’ lawsuit argues the public has a right to witness court hearings, including the growing number being held virtually.
by Shadi Bushra
https://www.minnpost.com/metro/2026/04/immigration-court-hiding-minnesota-groups-lawsuit/ ( Read more... )

Doonesbury Say What

thewayne: (Default)
[personal profile] thewayne
Sunday, April 19th, 2026 11:51 am
"I think it's time [the pope] starts to get questioned. Donald Trump takes questions all the time. Nobody gets to ask the pope a single thing. And I think it's time and I would like to offer myself as the person to go interview the pope. I think I'm uniquely qualified. I studied Latin, theology, went to Catholic Church for 12 years."
-- Sean Hannity

And you've been spreading lies and distorting news for 27 years on Fox. You may have studied it, but clearly you didn't absorb it and don't practice it except possibly in a superficial way.

And perhaps the brain-dead POTUS does take questions all the time. He deviates and avoids answering them at all costs, insults those who asks them, and lies to avoid any possibility of accurately answering them. You really can't compare him to the Pope. And if you think you can, then your much further gone than I thought.

I expect people ask the Pope questions on a regular basis. There's a difference between asking a question and questioning the basis of their reasoning, which is what you want to do. You want to ask entrapping questions, "gotchas", to score points with the MAGA base and prop up your boss in the White House. There's no way you want to honestly debate theology because you'd be left a charred pile of ash.
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2026.04.19

lsanderson: (Default)
[personal profile] lsanderson
Sunday, April 19th, 2026 11:00 am
Tornadoes and heavy winds destroy homes and roads across US midwest
No deaths reported after latest round of severe weather in the region as officials brace residents for long recovery
Associated Press
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/apr/19/tornadoes-heavy-winds-damage-midwest

‘Oscar of science’ awarded to team behind gene therapy that restores lost vision
Married couple Jean Bennett and Albert Maguire developed Luxturna, which helped a patient see their child’s face for the first time
Ian Sample Science editor
https://www.theguardian.com/science/2026/apr/19/the-oscar-of-science-awarded-to-scientists-behind-genetic-treatment-that-restores-lost-vision-win ( Read more... )