Galen Strickland's avatar

Galen Strickland

@templetongate.bsky.social

57 followers 83 following 350 posts

Longtime avid reader, mostly within the SFFH genres these days. Also a film and TV buff. I review those and more at templetongate.net/. He/him

Galen Strickland's avatar Galen Strickland @templetongate.bsky.social
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Discount Armageddon was a fun story, but not as good as the October Daye books I've read, or others by Seanan. I will continue with InCryptid next month and see how it goes.

templetongate.net/incryptid.htm

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Amal El-Mohtar's avatar Amal El-Mohtar @amalelmohtar.com
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Oh hey y’all guess what I have a new book coming out in March 2025 & you can pre-order it if you want!
You can do so from anywhere, I recommend your local indie, but meanwhile here’s Macmillan’s link us.macmillan.com/books/978125...

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Galen Strickland's avatar Galen Strickland @templetongate.bsky.social
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The first 6 months of the year I read an October Daye book each month. I have now switched to InCryptid, currently reading Discount Armageddon.

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Galen Strickland's avatar Galen Strickland @templetongate.bsky.social
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Why didn't anyone tell me about the new "Penric and the Bandit" that came out last week? Amazon has double Kindle Reward points today, so I just snagged it. Now I need to figure out when I can fit it into by read/review schedule.

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Galen Strickland's avatar Galen Strickland @templetongate.bsky.social
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I would use that service more often if they made it easier to search for what they have. I can never find them on the website since their latest reorganization.

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Galen Strickland's avatar Galen Strickland @templetongate.bsky.social
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My library uses Cloud Library rather than Libby/Overdrive, and I use it quite often, as well as checking out print books too of course. I wish they subscribed to Kanopy or Hoopla, but they do have some DVDs available. It is how I first watched the Jonathan Strange and Mr Norrell mini-series.

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Galen Strickland's avatar Galen Strickland @templetongate.bsky.social
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I review Kim Stanley Robinson's contribution to the Outspoken Author series from PM Press. "The Lucky Strike" is a novelette, an alternate history about the end of WW2. An essay expands on the idea, plus there is a very good interview. Recommended.

templetongate.net/lucky-strike...

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Galen Strickland's avatar Galen Strickland @templetongate.bsky.social
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The Iron Dream was Norman Spinrad. Perhaps you meant Iron Council?

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Galen Strickland's avatar Galen Strickland @templetongate.bsky.social
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My latest review is for Kim Stanley Robinson's Icehenge, not a novel, but a triptych of connected novellas, two of which were previously published. It could be seen as connected to his Mars Trilogy, but it's more of an alternate version of a similar future.

templetongate.net/icehenge.htm

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Galen Strickland's avatar Galen Strickland @templetongate.bsky.social
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I was sure from the first question I would be Bits.

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Galen Strickland's avatar Galen Strickland @templetongate.bsky.social
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My latest review is for the sixth October Daye novel, but just as much an overview of all of them up to that point. If interested, scroll up from where the link takes you to read my take on the others.

templetongate.net/october-daye...

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Katie Mack's avatar Katie Mack @astrokatie.com
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We got tricked by science fiction into thinking a futuristic city is all about flying cars and crystal towers and hologram billboards but what it really looks like is nice apartment blocks, good mass transit, pedestrian zones with shade trees and safe bike lanes.

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Galen Strickland's avatar Galen Strickland @templetongate.bsky.social
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Leslye Penelope's The Monsters We Defy is historical fiction mixed with fantasy. Great characters, exciting action, and deep insight to the African-American struggle. Highly recommended.

templetongate.net/monsters-we-...

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Galen Strickland's avatar Galen Strickland @templetongate.bsky.social
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I loved all three books, and Robin narrowly beats out the others as my favorite character.

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Galen Strickland's avatar Galen Strickland @templetongate.bsky.social
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Apparently the strike against SF is which imprint publishes it.

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Galen Strickland's avatar Galen Strickland @templetongate.bsky.social
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I don't buy as many Kindle books as I used to, but they have a rewards program I may as well use before they cancel it. Today is double points day, so 6 for every $ instead of just 3. I had a $3 credit, so I bought one that has three stories on this year's Hugo ballot.
www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/...

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Galen Strickland's avatar Galen Strickland @templetongate.bsky.social
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I have said many times that literary fiction means nothing, it is not a genre in and of itself. Literary work can be found within any genre, with multiple examples in SF/F. Would they say the same of Ursula Le Guin? Or Gene Wolfe?

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Galen Strickland's avatar Galen Strickland @templetongate.bsky.social
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Does this mean they will finally disavow Trump due to his multiple counts of adultery?

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Galen Strickland's avatar Galen Strickland @templetongate.bsky.social
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Just watched one of the best films I have seen in a long time. Ava DuVernay's Origin on Hulu, with a dynamic, near perfect performance by Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor. Everything else is great, writing, direction, all of the acting. Highly recommended.

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Galen Strickland's avatar Galen Strickland @templetongate.bsky.social
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Oh you kids, bringing up memories to make me feel old. When I was young we only got three channels, 6-NBC, 8-ABC, 10-CBS.

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Galen Strickland's avatar Galen Strickland @templetongate.bsky.social
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Whaaaaat? Will this be available in the US?

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Galen Strickland's avatar Galen Strickland @templetongate.bsky.social
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Good choice, Womble. A very worthy Nebula winner. I read about half of the winning novella last night, Linghun by Ai Jiang.

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Galen Strickland's avatar Galen Strickland @templetongate.bsky.social
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Sarah Brooks' debut novel comes out next Tuesday, but it is not completely new. Written during her studies at Cambridge, it has already won two literary awards, and I feel confident it will be considered for others in the future. Highly recommended.

templetongate.net/cautious-tra...

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Galen Strickland's avatar Galen Strickland @templetongate.bsky.social
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Not "rising star," you have already become a brilliant new galaxy.

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Premee Mohamed's avatar Premee Mohamed @premeemohamed.com
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"Mohamed excels at telling the stories of ordinary people trapped by dark forces, and she infuses these characters with astounding tenderness and compassion. “The Butcher of the Forest” shows exactly why Mohamed is one of fantasy’s rising stars." -- the illustrious @charliejane.bsky.social ! 😍

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Paz Pardo's avatar Paz Pardo @pazsays.bsky.social
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hey hey THE SHAMSHINE BLIND is on sale over at audible right now! Down to $6.99, from what I hear that's the cost of a cold brew coffee in the US right now, I wrote it to be the kind of book that keeps you awake and it will probably last you more than one morning so really it's a steal

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Galen Strickland's avatar Galen Strickland @templetongate.bsky.social
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I know a $1 is a remarkable bargain, but add them all up and my bank account screams at me.

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Galen Strickland's avatar Galen Strickland @templetongate.bsky.social
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I've been thinking of launching a GoFundMe so I can afford all the Patreons I want to support.

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Galen Strickland's avatar Galen Strickland @templetongate.bsky.social
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Not trans, but adjacent. To tell the truth there have been times I've wondered if I'm not even human.

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Galen Strickland's avatar Galen Strickland @templetongate.bsky.social
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I still like the original but this is good too, and maybe better if it gets more eyes on your book.

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Silvia Moreno-Garcia's avatar Silvia Moreno-Garcia @silviamg.bsky.social
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Behold Jim Tierney's new cover for my novella PRIME MERIDIAN. The ebook has be rejigged with this cover and the print edition is getting a matching cover and redesigned interior.
silviamoreno-garcia.com/writing/prim...

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Reposted by Galen Strickland

Premee Mohamed's avatar Premee Mohamed @premeemohamed.com
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HWELLO and good morning! Catching up on 4 billion emails from a busy weekend BUT may I add that THE BUTCHER OF THE FOREST -- my novella about a rescue mission in a dangerous magical forest -- is ONE DOLLAR NINETY AND NINE today on Kindle and Kobo! In Canada, anyway.

www.amazon.ca/Butcher-Fore...

10 replies 57 reposts 96 likes

Reposted by Galen Strickland

Jessica, Kait's Wife 🏳️‍⚧️🏳️‍🌈's avatar Jessica, Kait's Wife 🏳️‍⚧️🏳️‍🌈 @pairofclaws.bsky.social
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I truly love that front page news in 1952 was "LOOK AT HOW HOT THIS TRANS LADY IS OMG SHE'S SO PRETTY AND STUFF!"

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Galen Strickland's avatar Galen Strickland @templetongate.bsky.social
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For anyone following me on mastodon, you may already have been redirected to the new account. Mastodonbooks is shutting down, so I am now @ templetongate@mastodon.social.

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Galen Strickland's avatar Galen Strickland @templetongate.bsky.social
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I was born 2 years before her transition, but can't remember when I first read about Christine, nor what I thought about it at the time. I hope my reaction was just one of, "That's interesting," and not anything negative.

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Hugo Book Club Blog's avatar Hugo Book Club Blog @hugobookclub.bsky.social
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Starting to think that The Siege of Burning Grass might be one of those books we’re still talking about in 10 years, 20 years, 40 years.

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Reposted by Galen Strickland

Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers Association's avatar Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers Association @sfwa.bsky.social
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Congratulations to all the winners of the 59th Annual Nebula Awards!

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Galen Strickland's avatar Galen Strickland @templetongate.bsky.social
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Hello Womble. I finished Premee's We Speak Through the Mountain yesterday, now on The Cautious Traveller's Guide to the Wastelands by Sarah Brooks. After that I think I will read the new Nebula winning novella, Linghun by Ai Jiang.

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