James Nicoll Reviews

28 works reviewed. 15 by women, 13 by men. F/T = 0.53

Total for the year so far is 301. This put me past Locus’ total for 2014 but since I for some reason thought that total was 299 and not the correct value of 296, I managed to miss the event when it happened.

My total for writers of colour (using the ​“Assuming a Trump Presidency, could their race be used to justify deporting them from the US, even in the cases of people who were born in the US’’ for edge cases): 7 (25%) for November, 41 (14%) for the year. 

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At some point there will an actual suggestion box but until then I will try a monthly request.

Which books do you think should go onto my ​“consider for non-sponsored review” list? In particular, which new or upcoming books come to mind? Feel free to explain why you picked the book or books that you chose.

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29 works reviewed. 15 by women, 14 by men. F/T = 0.52

For some reason, my commissions in October were dominated by books by men. 

Total for the year so far is 273, exceeding tor.com’s 271 total for 2014. On track to pass Locus’ 299 in November.

My total for writers of colour (using the ​“Assuming a Trump Presidency, could their race be used to justify deporting them from the US, even in the cases of people who were born in the US’’ for edge cases): 8 (28%) for October, 34 (12%) for the year. 

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Tanith Lee died earlier this year. She was extraordinarily prolific, writing more than ninety novels in a career that spanned six decades. Too many of her books to list here were nominated for awards but her wins include Death’s Master (BFA), The Gorgon (WFA), Elle Est Trois, and (La Mort) (WFA); in 2013, she was presented by a Life Achievement WFA. Clearly she was a writer of significance but in recent years she had not received the attention her talent deserved.

When I heard the news of her death, I decided to commemorate her career in this very small way, by reviewing a wide selection of her published works.

My tentative list, created after soliciting selections from Lee fans is as follows. I may modify it depending on availability.

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28 works reviewed. 16.5 by women, 11.5 by men. F/T = 0.59

Total for the year so far is 244, so still short of both tor.com’s 271 and Locus’ 299. James has a sad.

My total for writers of colour (using the ​“Assuming a Trump Presidency, could their race be used to justify deporting them from the US, even in the cases of people who were born in the US’ for edge cases): 7 (25%) for September, 26 (11%) for the year. 

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28 books reviewed. 22 by women, 6 by men. F/T = 0.79

Thus far in 2015, I have reviewed more books by women than all of the sites that made Strange Horizon’s round up for 2014: Tor, SFX, Romantic Times (specfic only), Strange Horizons, Interzone, io9, F&SF, Vector, Analog, Asimov’s, NYRSF, Science Fiction Studies, Foundation, CSZ, and LARB .

Thus far in 2015, I have reviewed more books in general than any of the following: SFX (199), Romantic Times (127-specfic only), Strange Horizons (115), Interzone (79), io9 (74), F&SF (59), Vector (59), Analog (58), Asimov’s (47), NYRSF (45), Science Fiction Studies (43), Foundation (29), CSZ (22), LARB (17). Beating the numbers for Locus (299), and Tor (271) remains in my future.

My totals for writer of colour remains both dismal and competitive: 5/28 (18%) for August and 18 or 19/216 (9%) for 2015 to date.

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The James Tiptree, Jr. Award is an ​“annual literary prize for science fiction or fantasy that expands or explores our understanding of gender.” Details on its history and why it has the name it does, as well as a list of winners, the honor lists and other notable works can be found here.

I had the privilege to be a jurist in 2011. For that and other reasons, this is an award for which I have a personal interest, as should you all. Accordingly, over the next year or so, I will be reviewing the Tiptree winners in the chronological order in which they won, more or less [1], as copies fall into my hand.

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28 books reviewed. 17 by women, 11 by men. F/T = 61%

Year to date: 188 books, 110 by women, 78 by men. This means that I have exceeded the number of books I reviewed here in 2014, as well as the number of spec fic books reviewed in 2014 by the following review sources Strange Horizons deigned to acknowledge in their annual round up: Romantic Times (127), Strange Horizons (115), Interzone (79), io9 (74), F&SF (59), Vector (59), Analog (58), Asimov’s (47), NYRSF (45), Science Fiction Studies (43), Foundation (29), CSZ (22), LARB (17). Beating the numbers for Locus (299), Tor (271) and SFX (199) remains in my future (near future for SFX).

Where books by women are concerned, however, of all the review sources named above, only Locus edges me out and only narrowly: about 118 to my 110. Thus far. 

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At some point there will an actual suggestion box but until then I will try a monthly request. 

Which books do you think should go onto my ​“consider for non-sponsored review” list? In particular, which new or upcoming books come to mind? Feel free to explain why you picked the book or books that you chose.

Read more ➤

28 books reviewed. 16 by women. 12 by men. F/T = 0.57

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