James Nicoll Reviews

Castaway

Hard Landing

By Algis Budrys

16 Dec, 2025

**The End of History**

16 comments

Algis Budrys’ 1993 Hard Landing is a stand-alone contemporary science fiction novel.

There are oxygen-breathing and methane-breathing interstellar civilizations; both of them are monitoring Earth. The economics of interstellar travel being what they are, conquest is unworkable. Therefore, the Galactics wait patiently for the day when Earth is worth trading with.

Luckily for Hanig, Ravashan, Joro, Mullica, and Selmon, they all breathe oxygen. Therefore, they do not perish immediately after making a forced landing on Earth.

Every Sparrow Falling

Michaelmas

By Algis Budrys

18 Jun, 2023

**Because My Tears Are Delicious To You**

12 comments

Algis Budrys’ 1977 Michaelmas is a stand-alone near-future SF novel.

In the far-off year 2000, Laurent Michaelmas is a respected journalist, the man to whom the world turns to for facts. Laurent is also the secret master of the world, the man who creates the facts on which he reports. Credit is due to Michaelmas’ hard work, diligence, and his access to the nigh-godlike AI, Domino.

Make It Feel Like Home

Rogue Moon

By Algis Budrys

2 Apr, 2023

**Because My Tears Are Delicious To You**

4 comments

Algis Budrys’ 1960 Rogue Moon is a stand-alone science fiction novel that time has inconsiderately transformed from near-future/contemporary to a period piece.

Dr. Edward Hawks has a difficult task in front of him. Having consigned individual volunteers to madness and death, he now needs to consign a single person to an astonishing number of deaths.