James Nicoll Reviews

I did not win an Aurora. However, my gamemaster was inducted into the CSFFA Hall of Fame. How many gaming groups can claim that?

I write these up as early as a week before the end of the month. The Hugo ceremony will happen between the time of composition and the post going live. Please read whichever response is appropriate and ignore the other.

FINALLY, MY INEVITABLE HUGO TRIUMPH! AH HA HA HA! ALL SHALL LOVE ME AND DESPAIR.

_{ah well it was an honour to be nominated and to have for the baker’s dozenth time the chance to be gracious in defeat.} 

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Devouring Gods by Jedediah Berry (March 2027)

Award-winning author Jedediah Berry and bespoke barbarian Gotchimus return in Devouring Gods, an action-packed sword & sorcery heist. To steal their prize from the goddess of keys, Gotch’s crew face battle-nuns, drunken gentry, and giant frogs in evening wear.

They’re off to steal a wizard!

The noble families of Inwardly have gathered for the social event of the season. Hosted by the captive goddess Culavu and her devoted warrior nuns, the Festival of Keys offers the rich and powerful a chance to dine on choice morsels and amuse themselves with age-old sorceries. And this year’s special guest is a spectacle like no other: Gotchimus, the great barbarian, the wizard slayer.

While his hosts debauch themselves, Gotchimus has bigger plans. Trapped in Culavu’s prison realm is a wizard possessing knowledge he and his allies need. To free him, the barbarian will have to outwit the nobles, protect his own dark secret, and turn the party of the year into the heist of the century.

And somehow he has to pull it all off without killing the wizard. 

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The Astronaut Among the Flowers and Other Stories by P.A. Cornell (August 2026)

This debut collection by Nebula-nominated author P.A. Cornell brings together twenty-one tales of fantasy and science fiction that run the gamut from lighthearted to dark. The stories examine our connections to each other, to technology, to the world that surrounds us, and even to ourselves. Journey through circumstances that defy explanation, and explore events yet to come, that have come before, or that exist outside of time altogether. Included are Cornell’s acclaimed story ​“Once Upon a Time at The Oakmont,” as well as the award-winning ​“Splits,” and two brand new works published here for the first time. 

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Fool’s Landing by Matt Goldman (April 2027)

From New York Times bestselling author and Emmy Award-winner Matt Goldman, danger runs rampant in the idyllic town of Riverwood.

Riverwood Police Chief Zoey Jensen has her hands full. A murdered fishing guide, the theft of a gold brick from a home safe, Zoey’s menacing ex-husband who’s followed her to southeast Minnesota, and her current boyfriend who keeps canceling dates. Add a spate of home break-ins, and Zoey feels pushed to her limit. Her biggest hope is that all this chaos is somehow related, and if she can solve one crime, it’ll open the door to solve the others. But it’s not easy as she struggles to overcome the mounting challenges in her personal life.

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Blade of Honey by Hafsah Faizal (March 2027)

In a competition for the hand of the king, she only wants his head…

Yasmine Ra’ad has a vendetta against the most powerful man in Arawiya: the king himself. Altair al-Badawi’s throne was built upon the bones of her family, and though she’s never wielded a blade, she dreams of the day she can end his life.

That day arrives with an invitation — for the king is in need of a bride, and anyone is eligible to participate in the competition to become queen.

Yasmine knows she must act the part of a doting suitor if she wishes to remain in the palace long enough to enact her revenge. She plays the part well. Too well. If she’s not careful, Yasmine’s ploy to win his hand could lead her into the greatest predicament of all – love.

The first book in a duology, this masterfully told page-turning romantic fantasy will appeal to readers of Tahereh Mafi, Tricia Levenseller, and Sabaa Tahir. 

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