S&L Podcast - #505 - The Roman Empire is My Roman Empire

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The nominations have begun for our March Tournament! Why do we care if eBooks and print books are the same? And our first thoughts on The Will of the Many.

Download directly here!

WHAT ARE WE NOMINATING?
• Tom: Tomato Soup and grilled cheese
• Veronica: Bailey's

QUICK BURNS

Welcome to the 10th annual March Madness tournament!

What is the Sword & Laser March Madness tournament you ask?

Each year we take nominations from our members for the Sci-Fi and Fantasy books they think the group should read and narrow it down to 16. We create two brackets, one for each genre. That means there are 8 Sword picks, and 8 Laser picks.

The 16 books are selected by our benevolent leaders based on your suggestions in the nomination thread and a super secret criteria of their own making for seeding etc.

Once the brackets are set we have 4 rounds of voting. Rounds 1-3 will take us from 8 Sword books and 8 Laser books down to 1 of each that will go head to head to be our pick for April.

This single elimination style tournament is inspired by some sporting event that takes place every year during the month of March. Does your nomination have what it takes to win 4 straight head-to-head matchups and become our April book pick? Let the madness begin!

This thread will serve as the main information center for the tournament and I'll be creating separate threads for each round.

March Madness Info Thread

Nominations: February 6th - February 20th 7pm ET
Round of 16: February 23rd - March 1st 11:59 PM ET
Round of 8: March 2nd - 8th 11:59 PM ET
Round of 4: March 9th - 15th 11:59 PM ET
Final Round: March 16th - 22nd 11:59PM ET

Seth: In a move that I assume most authors will applaud, Simon and Schuster will no longer require (or it looks like, even encourage) authors to find blurbs for their books.

The new editor, writing a piece for Publisher's Weekly says, among other things, "I don’t want my favorite writers writing blurbs—I want them writing more books so I can read them!" And more pointedly, "this kind of favor trading creates an incestuous and unmeritocratic literary ecosystem that often rewards connections over talent.

I've certainly given a book a second look because of who blurbed it, but probably this is a positive change
Publishers Weekly Article

Trike: Travis Baldree’s new book, Brigands & Breadknives, is available for pre-order. Releases November 11.
Goodreads: Brigands & Breadknives

Mark:
Silver and Lead, the 19th October Daye novel by Sword and Laser Miéville effect author Seanan McGuire is coming 30 September 2025. The Kindle edition is a bargain at only $14.99, 48% off the price of the hardcover edition!

Paul: Locus Magazine has released its Recommended Reading List where they recommend their favourite genre books from 2024. I listened to a podcast where they talked about how they whittle down the list, and I find that fascinating since this list contains over 200 books... Makes me wonder how long the original list was!

It might seem a bit daunting, but personally, I like to keep this tab open and work through the list a little bit at a time. I save it for when I'm stuck in front of a computer and don't feel like facing real life, and would rather just add things to my TBR. That might be an odd form of self-care, but I'm sure I have kindred spirits here!

Locus Recommended Reading List

specious_reasons - The Seattle Area Sword & Laser wants to meet you! We're in the early stage of planning a Seattle/Tacoma meetup in or around Worldcon, and I'm extending this offer to any fans (or hosts... nudge, nudge), please contact me either in the seattle channel or by direct message so I can search for venues of the right size. (I'm cross posting this in quick burns so it gets on the podcast!)

Liqorice - Vajra Chandrasekera, the author of The Saint of Bright Doors (which won a Nebula award) talks about his pov on genre and literary categories. He is clearly of the "it just depends on how they think they can sell you" camp and doesn't attribute a lot of importance to it. He grew up in Colombo, Sri Lanka and it is interesting to hear his pov on how non-Western readers react to most modern scifi: "We grew up watching disaster movies or alien invasion movies or whatever, and the alien ship was always above London or New York – they were never above Colombo." Maybe Veronica & Tom should try to interview him!
Vajra Chandrasekera on Locus

BARE YOUR SWORD

Clyde wrote: "I do not consider $15 to be a reasonable price for an eBook." and Stephen added "Personally, I have a $5.99 max limit on Novellas and if the eBook is $8.99 to 11.99 it is a sure buy or preorder. Wind and Truth I did buy for $19.99 but they did have the previous books on sale for $3.99 the month before so I feel better about biting the bullet."

Mark: Veronica was dismayed that the wiki's Video Show page only had three episodes, so...
Links go to the Internet Archive because the Geek & Sundry Youtube channel no longer offers access to Sword and Laser videos, except for a trailer and a GRRM interview
Sword and Laser Video Show

Mark: Based on comments here and on the Discord, these are some of the authors which the Miéville Effect has convinced most of us that we've read them as Sword and Laser picks:
• China Miéville
• Seanan McGuire/Mira Grant
• Jim Butcher
• Timothy Zahn
• S.A. Chakraborty
• Bram Stoker

BOOK OF THE MONTH DISCUSSION

CHECK IN
The Will of the Many by James Islington
Bookshop.org

Amazon Link
Amazon

My Love/Hate relationship with Polymath Protagonists
Goodreads Discussion

Tassie Dave
Multi Level Marketing

I tried to wrap my brain around the Pyramid Scheme that is the Will ceding in The Will of the Many.

Each level has an increasing number of people ceding half their will to the level above them.

At the top is the Princeps who is receiving Will from 2 Dimidius
Each Dimidius receives Will from 3 Tertius
Each Tertius receives Will from 4 Quartus
Each Quartus receives Will from 5 Quintus
Each Quintus receives Will from 6 Sextus
Each Sextus receives Will from 7 Septimus
Each Septimus receives Will from 8 Octavus

Each Octavus concedes half their Will to the Septimus, so only have 0.5 of a Will to use themself.
A Septimus has 5 Will. 0.5 from each of the 8 Octavus ceding Will to them and 1 of their own. They have to cede 2.5 Will up to the Sextus above them and keep 2.5 Will to use.

I made a table to show the amount of Will each level has and can use.
Will Table

Liqorice
Fantasy school fatigue...or is it?

For me, TWotM being "another fantasy story taking place in another magical school" didn't set it up for success. That isn't just a trope that has been overused, it is one that has been "mal-used" (mal-used isn't a real word but instead of used inappropriately I mean it in the sense that people abuse the trope. Badly.)

Earthsea's magical college is great. Ender's Game is another good use of the trope with devastating consequences. Yes, "Yer a wizard, Harry!" And while I wasn't blown away by Akata Witch that wasn't because "oh, magical-school" - I liked how the school reflected the setting and culture.

And then we get to what I think of as artificially-dangerous fantasy school settings. Scholomance's "Let's send our kids to a magical school where everything and anything there is out to kill them! We love them so much, but it's all we can do!" Fourth Wing's "Let's make our freshmen students run a narrow stone bridge in the rain, have dragons eat a few at the end, and then encourage them to kill one another if the mood strikes them, no demerit points applied!" Even The Black Song with its "The only proper way to create real soldiers is a school to beat them within an inch of their life each day, every day. Because we all know that traumatic musculoskeletal damage isn't debilitating, it's what makes you stronger!”

Imagine, then, my surprise at reading TWotM. A school in a fantasy setting that doesn't mal-use the trope. I enjoyed it. Sure, there is conflict between students. Some of the teachers are supportive and some aren't. There is danger in the background but the adults sending their kids there don't really know about it because the school hides it. There is competition. There are loyalties and betrayals. But it isn't overdone, it is high school and college social interactions played out in a fantasy setting with much higher stakes. Did I mention I enjoyed it?

Anybody else find this a breath-of-fresh-air in a trope that has become very stale?

ADDENDUMS

Our show is currently entirely funded by our patrons. Thank you to all the folks who back our show and if you would like to support the show that way head to Support Us on Patreon.

You can also support the show by buying books through our links! Find links to the books we talk about and some of our favorites at Sword and Laser Picks.

feedback@swordandlaser.com
swordandlaser.com
We are on Instagram, X and Mastodon @swordandlaser
goodreads.com

S&L Podcast - #504 - The Miéville Effect

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We have the best 25 books coming out in the next six months and the best 25 books of the last 25 years. Goodbye to the Science Fiction Book Club, our final thoughts on The Ministry of Time, and we kick off our read of The Will of the Many.

Download directly here!

WHAT ARE WE NOMMING?

Tom: Soup dumplings, chicken mandu, and fried rice
Veronica: Nikka whiskey

QUICK BURNS

CrochetChrisie and Seth: Bookshop.org now sells ebooks. Like their print books, shopping there supports local booksellers.
Bookshop.org - Ebooks

Mark: This one may only be of interest to Sword and Laser oldsters (we know who we are). The Science Fiction Book Club may be shutting down!
ReactorMag - SF Book Club Closing

JasonReads: Scalzi just finished a new book in the Old Man's War series.

AND

John Scalzi (DING!) posted the cover to the latest entry in his Old Man's War series, due out September 16. Art by John Harris, who's done the artwork for all of the books in the series. This will be one of two books Scalzi (DING!) releases this year, with When The Moon Hits Your Eye being the other.

Chris K. - Via Locus: 2025 Audie Awards Finalists:

As a side note: The Ministry of Time by Kaliane Bradley, narrated by Katie Leung & George Weightman (Simon & Schuster Audio), was a finalist in the Fiction category.

Science Fiction:

  • Mal Goes to War - Edward Ashton, narrated by Katharine Chin & John Pirhalla (Macmillan Audio)

  • The Book of Doors - Gareth Brown, narrated by Miranda Raison (HarperAudio)

  • Frontier - Grace Curtis, narrated by Aven Shore (Tantor Audio)

  • Lake of Souls - Ann Leckie, narrated by Adjoa Andoh (Hachette Audio)

  • System Collapse - Martha Wells, narrated by Kevin R. Free (Recorded Books)

Fantasy:

  • Bookshops & Bonedust - Travis Baldree (Macmillan Audio)

  • The Bright Sword - Lev Grossman, narrated by Lev Grossman & Nicholas Guy Smith (Penguin Random House Audio)

  • Goddess of the River - Vaishnavi Patel, narrated by Sneha Mathan (Hachette Audio)

  • Black Shield Maiden - Willow Smith & Jess Hendel, narrated by Willow Smith (Penguin Random House Audio)

  • Someone You Can Build a Nest In - John Wiswell, narrated by Carmen Rose (Tantor Audio)

Locus - 2025 Audie Awards Finalists

JasonReads: John Ridley, who wrote the screenplay for 12 Years a Slave, is slated to direct an adaptation of Isaac Asimov's 1954 novel The Caves of Steel, an SF detective novel. The book is the first in Asimov's Robot series and features the first appearances of human Elijah Bailey and the android R. Daneel Olivaw.
ReactorMag - Asimov Adaptation

Seth: Reactor puts out a list of SFF titles from the first half of the year. First, a few paragraphs for more established writers and entries into series, then 30 others that get special attention. Marked quite a few as want to read.
ReactorMag - 30 SFF Titles in 2025

Paul: A list of the 25 best books of the last 25 years by an indie bookstore. It’s got a lot of big names and no real surprises. The big question now (potentially for the breakout discussion): What’s missing? These lists seem wary of picking much from the last few years, but I’d have had Babel on there, personally.
Powell’s - 25 Essential SFF Books

BARE YOUR SWORD

Feedback from the audience

Trike:

Re: My clean house. Yes, we maintain strict discipline here because cleanliness is next to godliness. Vacuuming is done once a day, immediately followed by thorough dusting, then polishing the silver.

I’m kidding; it is filthy. You want to talk dog hair, get a Pug. BUT we just got new carpets, and we have severely curtailed the dogs’ traffic on them. Although Zoey, the blind 20-year-old Chihuahua, did tinkle in the great room. However, I did receive my order of twinkly lights Thursday and set up the first batch that has faux leaves around the plants.

BOOK OF THE MONTH DISCUSSION

Kick-Off

The Will of the Many by James Islington

Wrap-Up

The Ministry of Time by Kaliane Bradley

Calvey

I hail from the future as I finished the January book in December.

Let me tell you, the first half of the book was really slow and really didn’t give me hope. Then it switched. I didn’t see the hook coming, so I was totally caught off guard by the reveal. I will be curious to know if others saw it coming. I guess, in the end, I liked it more because of the ending, but I don’t think it’s an Obama book, just saying. I really want to ask him, “Wuuuut?”

I will be curious to listen to this podcast and the reviews from everyone. I have to think it will have a lot of loves or hates...

ScottM

I've been swamped with a major transition I'm doing at work, so I just picked up the January read this evening. I'm around the halfway point, and wow, I'm blown away.

I will say, especially in light of the conversation this afternoon in general-chat, that this book lands very much as literary fiction for me. So far, there hasn't been a ton of plot, though I sense elements starting to come together. The focus has been on character development and really major themes of identity, how others perceive us, how we perceive ourselves, and the power of narrative.

And time and again, there has been use of language in ways that stopped me in my tracks. I've highlighted a ton, but I'll note a couple of very short and non-spoilery examples.

"This was one of my first lessons in how you make the future: moment by moment, you seal the doors of possibility behind you."

That sent chills down my neck, and I had to sit with it for a moment. That distills a complex experience that is not at all easy to express.

And then there's this example that I think would be easy for people to rush past, but it's worth settling into:

"He filled the room like a horizon."

What's a horizon? It's a demarcation line between two distinct states or realities. It's the distant marker of where we are journeying. It's a descriptive term for expanding our vision and experiences. It's a lot of things, but not something we typically attribute to a person or describe as filling a room.

Oh, and the learning to ride a bike scene reached a point where I chuckled out loud, not something I usually do.

Oh, and one line that probably made me smile, mostly because I have a mother with two master's degrees in psychology as well as various other degrees:

"I ask both as a psychologist and a person with a normal level of empathy."

John Nevets

Having thought about it a bit, I wonder if a big part of why I don't like the first half of the story is that I like my protagonists to be competent, if not experts. It’s part of why I like Stephenson and Andy Weir books so much. I don't mind if they are broken or imperfect, but I like them to be good at things.

I liked the lead in Planetfall despite her brokenness—because I could relate to it and because she was so competent at what she set out to do. And despite our bridge seemingly being very good at knowing her history and how to describe the present, I just didn't find her competent. This made more sense in the second half of the book, but it just didn't work for me in the first half.

But I'm still trying to sort out why this story didn't work for me, while others that are similar did. I wonder if Kings of the Wyld had been written from Gabe's utterly broken POV instead of Clay's if I would have liked that book? I don’t know.

Jan

I very much enjoyed the book—or at least 90% of it—as I really liked the beginning and could at least appreciate what the ending was doing. But I loved the language, the choice of words, how the characters talked, and the dry wit throughout.

I enjoyed this aspect and the characters so much that I would have been very happy if this had been just an exploration of the characters and the environmental, cultural, and political themes and allegories being presented by this very precise and witty narration.

The rushed plot at the end was fine, but for me, the star of the book was the language. Damn, was it good!

John

This book presents intriguing ideas and considerable potential but feels like it needed further development to fully realize that potential. The lighthearted housemate relationship was engaging, and I particularly enjoyed the quirky interactions between the two main characters and the fresh perspectives of historical figures encountering modern life.

However, my main criticism lies in the unclear purpose behind retrieving people from the past. While initially, experiments are explained as a simple test of what's possible, the later suggestion that these historical figures are somehow essential to some future mission remains frustratingly unclear. Instead, the narrative largely focuses on teaching these transplanted characters modern values and terminology—an angle that could have worked well as comedy had the author leaned into it but instead fell into a cringe-inducing middle ground.

The story also leaves several rich veins of narrative potential untapped. For instance, the premise that they only take people who historically disappeared raises fascinating questions: Are the Ministry themselves inadvertently responsible for creating these very disappearances? The expatriates' intellect suggests they would have grappled with such paradoxes, which could have added compelling tension to their relationships, yet this angle remains unexplored.

I'm ultimately glad I read this because reading such works serves as inspiration. While masterpieces can feel intimidatingly perfect and poor writing can be discouraging, encountering something good but unpolished motivates me to explore my own potential as an author.

ADDENDUMS

Our show is currently entirely funded by our patrons. Thank you to all the folks who back our show! If you would like to support the show, head to:
Patreon - Sword & Laser

You can also support the show by buying books through our links! Find links to the books we talk about and some of our favorites at:
Sword & Laser Picks

📩 Feedback: feedback@swordandlaser.com
🌐 Website: swordandlaser.com
📱 Socials: @swordandlaser (Instagram, X, Mastodon)
📚 Goodreads: goodreads.com

S&L Podcast - #503 - Tapeworms and Time Travel

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Tom is safe. Stephen has had three New Years, and we all love Graham Gore. But the best part of the show is Veronica's parade of diseases.

Download directly here!

WHAT ARE WE NOMMING?
Tom: Mushroom Chicken
Veronica: Lentil lasagna

QUICK BURNS - add time stamp!
Any news or announcements

Jen:
Audible put out a new ad that is weirdly judgy about what speed you listen at:
Watch the TikTok

Mark:
2025 Philip K. Dick Award nominees announced (including a couple of S+L authors)

  • CITY OF DANCING GARGOYLES by Tara Campbell (Santa Fe Writers Project)

  • YOUR UTOPIA: STORIES by Bora Chung, translated by Anton Hur (Algonquin Books)

  • TIME’S AGENT by Brenda Peynado (Tordotcom)

  • THE PRACTICE, THE HORIZON, AND THE CHAIN by Sofia Samatar (Tordotcom)

  • ALIEN CLAY by Adrian Tchaikovsky (Orbit)

  • TRIANGULUM by Subodhana Wijeyeratne (Rosarium Publishing)

First prize and any special citations will be announced on Friday, April 18, 2025, at Norwescon 47.
Visit the Philip K. Dick Award website

Onyx Storm (Book 3) by Rebecca Yarros is out January 21st.
Find it on Amazon

Mark:
Virtual discussion of comfort reads with KJ Charles, T Kingfisher, Malka Older, and Martha Wells, this Sunday, January 19, free to attend"
Learn more and join the discussion

BARE YOUR SWORD - add time stamp!
Feedback from the audience

Stephen:
Being in Thailand now, I get to celebrate 3 New Years. I am already done with 2025. I get the Chinese New Year, Year of the Snake, on Jan 29th, then in April I get the Thai New Year, which is a week-long water fight with super soakers in the streets.

Trike:
Interesting that Veronica mentioned wanting to use twinkly lights as decoration because last week I mentioned something similar to Mrs. Trike. We have faux wooden rafters across our ceiling, and I said that we could wrap remote-controlled battery-powered LEDs around them for movie-watching ambiance.

…And immediately ran into the issue of how to get 12 feet up to install them and then change batteries. :p

But it did send me down the rabbit hole of looking at decorating with fairy lights that isn’t Christmas (or college dorm).
<-- Tom's note: Trike's house is entirely unrealistically clean


BOOK OF THE MONTH DISCUSSION

The Ministry of Time by Kaliane Bradley
Find it on Amazon
Find it on Bookshop

Favorite Passages
Discuss favorite passages on Goodreads

Interview with Kaliane Bradley
Read the interview on Goodreads


ADDENDUMS

Our show is currently entirely funded by our patrons. Thank you to all the folks who back our show, and if you would like to support the show that way, head to our Patreon page.

You can also support the show by buying books through our links! Find links to the books we talk about and some of our favorites at our book picks page.

feedback@swordandlaser.com
swordandlaser.com
We are on Instagram, X, and Mastodon @swordandlaser
Goodreads page

S&L Podcast - #502 - Rhubarb Abercrumble

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We kick off our January read, wrap up Akata Witch, and welcome in new public domain characters. There's a new Lord of the Rings movie this year. Yay! Plus, Veronica had a rhubarb cider, and Joe Abercrombie looks great for 50!

Download directly here!

WHAT ARE WE NOMMING?

Tom: Paik's Lager and Gochujang Cabbage
Veronica: Rhubarb Cider

QUICK BURNS

New Quick Burns thread:
Goodreads Quick Burns

Survey results from Rob:
View Survey Results

Mark: Joe Abercrombie posted his 2024 review, highlighting marketing plans (limited editions, sprayed edges, etc.) for his new book, The Devils, coming May 2025. Also, Abercrombie turns 50 and shared a new author photo for Veronica.
Joe Abercrombie's 2024 Review

hapahappiness: The Libby Instagram account shared a reading bingo board. Think you're a voracious reader? Check it out!
Image 1
Image 2

Tamahome: Warner Bros. will release its first new Lord of the Rings movie in 2026. Andy Serkis will direct The Hunt for Gollum, with Peter Jackson producing.
Variety Article

Trike: The 2025 Public Domain list includes:

  • Characters: Popeye and Tintin (US only; Tintin remains under EU copyright until 2054).

  • Songs: Singin’ In The Rain, Rhapsody in Blue, Stardust (Nat King Cole's version: YouTube), and Ain’t Misbehavin’.

  • Films: Frau im Mond (Woman in the Moon) by Fritz Lang.

  • Books: The Maltese Falcon, The Magic Island (first zombie literature), and Tarzan and the Lost Empire.

BARE YOUR SWORD

Tassie Dave: We read 1Q84 and Elantris simultaneously back in 2011. It took 46 days with no one-month time limit back then!

Ruth: Wondering about the UK publisher’s decision to rename Akata Witch? Here's some insight into its context within Nigerian editions.

Scott: Nnedi Okorafor explained her publishing decisions for Who Fears Death and Akata Witch. Learn more about the differences in the Nigerian and UK editions.

Chris G:
Subject: Discord?
Message: Hello, just started listening and heard the Discord mentioned on the show. You all seem like fun people! Is it patron-only?

BOOK OF THE MONTH DISCUSSION

Kickoff:
The Ministry of Time by Kaliane Bradley
Amazon Link
Bookshop Link

Wrap-Up:
Akata Witch by Nnedi Okorafor
Bookshop Link
Amazon Link

Discussion Highlights:

  • The setting in Akata Witch felt authentic and integral.

  • Magic in the story rewarded learning—a unique concept.

  • Comparisons to Harry Potter: More contrasts than similarities.

  • Some felt the pacing was inconsistent or the ending rushed.

  • Overall, many enjoyed the book and plan to continue the series.

ADDENDUMS

Our show is entirely funded by our patrons. Thank you for your support! Want to help? Visit:
Patreon

Support us by buying books through our links! Explore:
Sword & Laser Picks

Feedback: feedback@swordandlaser.com
Website: swordandlaser.com
Socials: @swordandlaser on Instagram, X, and Mastodon
Goodreads: Sword & Laser Group

S&L Podcast - #501 - One Missed S-Call-Zi

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It's end-of-year book list time! And we have a list of our favorite end-of-year lists. Plus, our initial thoughts on Akata Witch!

Download directly here!

WHAT ARE WE NOMMING?

Tom: Neoguri ramen with an egg
Veronica: Mulled wine! And green tea. Not together!

QUICK BURNS - [Add Time Stamp!]

Any news or announcements

"Our mod Rob, aka the roberator, has refreshed the Sword and Laser survey. It's a few short questions to help him and us get to understand who's listening. Take it, won't you?

You can find it in the show notes or by going to Sword and Laser and clicking 'survey'."
Survey Link

Trike:
A Christmas miracle: Alan Moore actually approves of an adaptation of his book.

"For the first time in my career, I’m genuinely excited and enthusiastic about a work of mine… one that I own, and believe could work marvelously in a different medium… being adapted for the screen."
Read more on Deadline

Tamahome:

"My body is green with excitement. Steven Spielberg to helm Old Man’s War, bringing John Scalzi's sci-fi to life!"
Fiction Horizon Article

crochetchrisie📚:
Goodreads Choice Awards Winners
Goodreads Winners List

Seth:
Amal El-Mohtar picks the best SFF of the year for the New York Times.

In the spirit of process improvement, just in case you can't click the link, here they are:

  • The Book of Love

  • Rakesfall

  • In Universes

  • The Melancholy of Untold History

  • The Practice, the Horizon, and the Chain

  • Exordia

  • The Mercy of Gods

  • Those Beyond the Wall

  • The Tainted Cup

  • Long Live Evil

Read the full article

Trike:
The 2024 edition of NPR’s Books We Love is out!

"Lots of books mentioned in other 'best of' lists but also plenty of ones I hadn’t heard of."
NPR Books We Love

Seth:
Perhaps you're tired of best books lists? Sorry. I like seeing LitHub's list of best book covers each year. They poll designers, and there isn't much agreement this year, but the overall winner is the creepy covers for the re-issues of Jeff VanderMeer's Southern Reach trilogy.
LitHub Article

Liqorice:
Booker Prize-winning Orbital, by Samantha Harvey, has been serialized by BBC Radio. According to the author, it is not 'science fiction' but 'space realism.'

"Given that literary authors often use the term 'magical realism' to distinguish their work from fantasy, that sounds like an interesting distinction to separate the book from genre fiction. Regardless, I read the book, and if you like literary fiction, it is pretty good."

BBC Radio Episodes

BARE YOUR SWORD - [Add Time Stamp!]

Feedback from the audience

Jan (new):

"It's great fun to listen to you reminiscing! Makes me look back as well! ❤️
I am old and my memory is fuzzy, but I feel I am with Sword and Laser since the Geek & Sundry days, though I started contributing from time to time with Hogfather.

Btw: Is there a statistic of who contributed the most Quick Burns? Asking for a friend... 😉"

Scott:

"I feel like Vaginal Fantasy started before Geek and Sundry was founded. It was through Vaginal Fantasy that I first encountered Veronica and heard about Sword and Laser..."

Tassie Dave:

"Vaginal Fantasy started in January 2012. Geek and Sundry was founded in 2011 and officially launched on April 2, 2012. Sword and Laser joined in March 2012."

BOOK OF THE MONTH DISCUSSION

Akata Witch by Nnedi Okorafor
Bookshop Link | Amazon Link
Book Briefing

ADDENDUMS

Our show is entirely funded by our patrons. Thank you to all the folks who back our show! If you'd like to support us, head to:
Patreon

You can also support the show by buying books through our links! Find links to the books we talk about at:
Book Picks

Contact us:

S&L Podcast - #500 - 500 Gargle Blasters!

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We celebrate our 500th episode in the best way we know how—by asking ChatGPT to get our stats wrong. PLUS, announcing the book pick for December and sharing our final thoughts on The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy.

Download directly here!

WHAT ARE WE NOMMING?

Tom: 19 Crimes Wine
Veronica: Prophecy Pinot Noir

EPISODE 500!

Total Listed Picks: 186
Alternate Picks (denoted by "a"): 11
Miscellaneous Picks (denoted by "m"): 1

Congratulations on reaching the 500th episode of Sword and Laser! To celebrate this milestone, here are some intriguing statistics and highlights from the podcast's history:

General Overview

  • Launch Date: Sword and Laser debuted in October 2007, founded by Tom Merritt and Veronica Belmont.

  • Total Episodes: As of November 27, 2024, the podcast has released 500 episodes.

Book Selections

  • Total Books Discussed: The podcast has featured 186 official book picks.

Gender of Authors:

  • 102 books by male authors.

  • 81 books by female authors.

  • 2 books by nonbinary authors.

  • 2 books by male collaborations.

  • 1 book by a male and female collaboration.

Authors of Color: 31 books were authored by persons of color.
Transgender Authors: 6 books were authored by transgender individuals.

Series vs. Stand-Alone:

  • 114 books are part of a series.

  • 70 books are stand-alone novels.

Publication Dates

  • Oldest Book Discussed: Frankenstein, or the Modern Prometheus by Mary Shelley, published in 1818.

  • Newest Book Discussed: Anathem by Neal Stephenson, with the reading period starting on its release day.

Decade Distribution:

  • 1810s: 1 book.

  • 1930s: 1 book.

  • 1940s: 2 books.

  • 1950s: 7 books.

  • 1960s: 10 books.

  • 1970s: 9 books.

  • 1980s: 17 books.

  • 1990s: 17 books.

  • 2000s: 26 books.

  • 2010s: 71 books.

  • 2020s: 23 books.

Selection Process

  • Combined Host Choice: 21 books.

  • Veronica's Picks: 57 books.

  • Tom's Picks: 57 books.

  • Community Polls: 42 books.

  • Guest Selections: 5 books.

  • Kickstarter Contributor: 1 book.

  • Goodreads Member: 1 book.

Author Nationalities

Top Countries:

  • USA: 127 authors.

  • UK: 31 authors.

  • Canada: 18 authors.

  • Poland: 2 authors.

  • Australia: 2 authors.

By Continent:

  • North America: 146 authors.

  • Europe: 33 authors.

  • Asia: 2 authors.

  • Oceania: 3 authors.

  • Africa: 1 author.

Notable Authors with Multiple Features

  • Terry Pratchett: 3 books (including co-authoring Good Omens).

  • Neil Gaiman: 2 books (including co-authoring Good Omens).

  • George R.R. Martin: 2 books.

  • Ursula K. Le Guin: 2 books.

  • Octavia E. Butler: 2 books.

  • Lois McMaster Bujold: 2 books.

Awards and Recognitions

Award Winners and Nominees:

  • Hugo Awards: 35 winners, 27 nominees.

  • Nebula Awards: 22 winners, 35 nominees.

  • Locus Awards: 36 winners, 67 nominees.

  • World Fantasy Awards: 5 winners, 27 nominees.

QUICK BURNS

Add time stamp!

Chris K: The Science Fiction & Fantasy Writers Association (SFWA) has announced the addition of Poetry and Comics categories to the Nebula Awards.

Seth: Charlie Jane Anders picks her favorites from the year for The Washington Post.

Mark: More SF TV from James S.A. Corey and Amazon.

Spriggana: A new Witcher book has been announced: Rozdroże Kruków (Crossroads of Ravens), releasing November 29th.

Tamahome: See the Goodreads nominees for F&SF and Romantasy!

Roberator: The spacey book won the Booker!

Mark: 356 issues of Galaxy Science Fiction are online at Archive.org.

BARE YOUR SWORD

Add time stamp!

Ryan:

Loved this!
Hi, Tom, you know me from other places.

I would like to point out that HHGTTG (the 2005 movie) was written by Adams before he died in 1999. All the changes and adjustments were supposedly his, and while I did not like the opening scene from Restaurant being near the beginning of the movie, it was his choice.

And I had a hardcover copy (green woven cover) as a high schooler and read it through at least five times.

Unfortunately, it was lost in the copious moves in the early 2000s. :-\

I've got my towel (nearly always) within reach.

The hoopiest of froods,
Ryan in Minneapolis.

Seth:

Took me a while to get to this episode, but I wanted to say I appreciated the format change. I've been trying to find a balance between finding some escapism with staying engaged. I think you struck the balance pretty well with this episode.

My sense, or at least my fear, is that reading freely is going to be an activity that will be under increased scrutiny and pressure here in the US in the next few years. It's nice to be part of a group that strives to read diversely.

BOOK OF THE MONTH DISCUSSION

December Pick Announcement:

Book Briefing:

WRAP-UP

The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams

The Humor of Douglas Adams vs. Terry Pratchett:

Zeerusty?

Calvey 🦃:

Started the book and found it oddly comforting and oddly sad with this early quote referencing Reader's Digest. Arthur suggests Ford submit his comment to the magazine, that they have a page for people like you. It sent me down a rabbit hole of magazines lost to time. Do kids even know what RD is today and what that quote meant?

ADDENDUMS

Our show is currently entirely funded by our patrons. Thank you to all the folks who back our show!

You can also support the show by buying books through our links!

S&L Podcast - #499 - Hugs for Your Ears

/

We decided to take a break from the usual format and recommend some BIPOC and LGBTQIA authors. Plus, we kick off The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy in case you need some comic relief.

Download directly here!

WHAT ARE WE NOMMING?

Tom: Broccoli Alfredo Pasta
Veronica: Whiskey again because YOLO

Special Edition: Highlighting BIPOC and LGBTQIA Authors

JasonReads:
”A Psalm for the Wild-Built and A Prayer for the Crown-Shy by Becky Chambers”

crochetchrisie📚:
”I recommend C. L. Polk.”

Ricardo:
Moon of the Crusted Snow by Waubgeshig Rice (a sequel came out recently)
The Magic Fish by Trung Le Nguyen (graphic novel)

Iain Bertram:
Charlie Jane Anders and Annalee Newitz, Charles Stross.

ScottM:
"Deeply loved Micaiah Johnson's The Space Between Worlds and Those Beyond the Wall.
The Blood Gift duology by N. E. Davenport was also really good (and probably something those who like Fourth Wing would enjoy).
Night's Edge by Liz Kerin.
For queer SF/superhero romance, I love Molly J. Bragg's Heart of Heroes series starting with Scatter."

Mark:
"We read A Memory Called Empire by Arkady Martine, but her spouse, Vivian Shaw, is also an author.
She has an urban fantasy series set in London that's entertaining."
Goodreads Link

Chris K.:
"TJ Klune, Gail Carriger, and Alice Oseman, author of the Heartstopper graphic novels."

crochetchrisie📚:
"V. E. Schwab is notable, same with Seanan McGuire."

Dwango:
"Shelly Parker-Chan with She Who Became the Sun."

Tassie Dave:
"We read Terra Nullius back in 2021, which was by an Aussie Indigenous transgender woman, Claire G. Coleman."

SeréTW:
To Shape a Dragon's Breath by Moniquill Blackgoose

Other notable authors:

  • Nalo Hopkinson (The Salt Roads and many others)

  • Nnedi Okorafor (Binti, Akata Warrior, and more)

  • The incomparable N. K. Jemisin

  • Rivers Solomon (An Unkindness of Ghosts, which we previously read)

  • Tomi Adeyemi (Children of Blood and Bone, on my TBR forever!)

  • P. Djèlí Clark (A Master of Djinn - our 155th selection!)

  • Marlon James (Black Leopard, Red Wolf)

BOOK KICKOFF

The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams
Bookshop Link
Amazon Link

Patreon Book Briefing:
Read the briefing on Patreon

ADDENDUMS

Our show is currently entirely funded by our patrons. Thank you to all the folks who back our show! If you'd like to support the show, head to:
patreon.com/swordandlaser

You can also support the show by buying books through our links! Find links to the books we talk about (and some of our favorites) at:
swordandlaser.com/picks

Email us: feedback@swordandlaser.com
Website: swordandlaser.com
Socials: Instagram, X, and Mastodon @swordandlaser
Goodreads: goodreads.com

S&L Podcast - #498 - Weird Things With Burritos

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We wrap up our thoughts on A Night in the Lonesome October by Roger Zelazny. Tom lays down some very obscure hints about the next pick. And why we’re glad Andy Weir got fired.

Download directly here!

WHAT ARE WE NOMMING?

Tom: Panko-crusted chicken sandwich
Veronica: Nikka Coffey Grain Japanese Whisky

QUICK BURNS

  • Tamahome: Harlan Ellison's Last Dangerous Visions released - a collection of short fiction
    Rolling Stone Article

  • Mark: And I thought the series was ended! Richard Kadrey announces on Instagram that he is working on a new Sandman Slim novel, lucky #13!
    Instagram Post

  • CountZeroOr: Turns out Andy Weir has a cameo appearance in the new book from Jason Schreier about the history of Blizzard. (Spoiler: he got fired from Blizzard after complaining about not getting paid for overtime.)
    Twitter Post

  • Sandra: Highly recommend this PBS doc on YouTube about Judy-Lynn del Rey (yes, that Del Rey) who shaped science fiction. Several S&L-read authors make an appearance (like Lois McMaster Bujold).
    YouTube Video

BARE YOUR SWORD

Feedback from the audience

crochetchrisie: "I don’t remember which thread we were talking about DNF due to narrators, but OMG I may have found one I will DNF. Assistant to the Villain is very, very annoying to me in the first minute. I don’t even know how to explain it, but it’s like she’s doing a weird inflection at the end of every sentence. Whhhhhyyyyy??
It’s giving Shatner vibes. Looking at the Audible reviews, I am not alone in thinking the pacing is weird.
LOL OMG this book is weird. This is not what I was expecting. I may keep on.
Lol he’s too hot for her to be scared of.
“You just can’t kill people and be pretty… It’s confusing.”
Girl... You gonna die or get really satisfied. Maybe both, hopefully not in that order."

Liqorice: "I like my murderers like I like my coffee. Hot and, er, not scary?"
crochetchrisie📚: "LOL dark, bitter, and hot enough to scald me?"

crochetchrisie📚: "I am now inappropriately angry with my family for forcing me to do things and taking me away from my book. Get your own food and whatnot, family!"


BOOK OF THE MONTH DISCUSSION

Tom Hints About Next Pick

WRAP UP

A Night in the Lonesome October by Roger Zelazny
Bookshop Link
Amazon Link

The various "Players" during the Game depicted in the book are archetypal characters from Victorian-era gothic fiction: Jack the Ripper (only ever referred to as "Jack"), Dracula ("The Count"), and the Wolf Man (known as "Larry Talbot," the film character’s name) all make appearances. In addition, there is a Witch ("Crazy Jill"), a Clergyman (Vicar Roberts), a Druid ("Owen"), Victor Frankenstein ("The Good Doctor"), Sherlock Holmes ("The Great Detective"), a "Mad Monk" ("Rastov" – apparently modeled after Rasputin), and grave robbers or Hermetic occultists ("Morris and McCab" – based either on real-life grave robbers Burke and Hare or a reference to a real hermetic of the time, MacGregor Mathers).
Wikipedia Article

eytanz: "So, I finished the book. Loved every minute of it. Obviously, I recognized some characters from elsewhere - Jack, the Count, the Good Doctor, the Great Detective, Larry Talbot. I assume the Vicar is a new character. So does anyone recognize the other players? Owen, Rastov, Morris and Maccab, Jill?"

ScottM: "Rastov’s appellation as the “mad monk” made me think of Rasputin. Owen seemed a generic druid. It’s mentioned Jill is a new player (stereotypical witch character), and I think Zelazny picked her name specifically so he could write the bit at the end."

JasonReads: "According to the book’s Wikipedia article, Morris and Maccab might be based on a pair of infamous murderers/grave robbers who killed a bunch of people in Scotland, then dug them up after burial to sell to some doctor who in turn used them for dissection."


Next Show

Next show will be November 13th because of Tom's travel schedule.


ADDENDUMS

Our show is currently entirely funded by our patrons. Thank you to all the folks who back our show, and if you would like to support the show, head to patreon.com/swordandlaser.

You can also support the show by buying books through our links! Find links to the books we talk about and some of our favorites at swordandlaser.com/picks.

Contact: feedback@swordandlaser.com
Website: swordandlaser.com
Social: Instagram, X, and Mastodon @swordandlaser
Goodreads: goodreads.com

S&L Podcast - #497 - Some Desperate Sniffles

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We learn a lot about nunchucks and old best SciFi lists, but we spend the majority of our time mulling over Some Desperate Glory by Emily Tesh. We also kick off a cozy October horrorish read.

Download directly here!

WHAT ARE WE NOMMING?

Tom: Chicken Alfredo lasagna
Veronica: Pumpkin spice crème cookies from Whole Foods

QUICK BURNS (Add Timestamp)

Any news or announcements.

A lot of people wanted us to talk about Marvel and DC losing joint trademark protection for the word superhero. I could not find a good explanation of what trademarks they held. Trademark law is so frequently misunderstood that until I do find that out, I can't intelligently comment on the withdrawal of that protection.
— Tom
https://www.law.com/therecorder/2024/09/30/joint-marvel-dc-trademark-of-super-hero-canceled-amid-challenge-by-creator-of-superbabies/?slreturn=20241002142830

Tamahome: Hot off the presses—Top 50 Sci-Fi novels voted on in 1998 at Locus. Words in Time on YouTube just did a video about it. I don’t think they’ve done a poll like this since? The Witches of Karres?
https://worldswithoutend.com/lists_locus_bestsf.asp

Seth: Mary Robinette Kowal, translator? She makes her debut as a translator with The Night Guest, a work of psychological horror by Hildur Knútsdóttir. A woman suffering from chronic fatigue gets a smartwatch, which finds she's been walking 40,000 steps in her sleep.
The book sounds neat, but mostly I'm just thinking there's basically nothing Kowal can't do.
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/127306444.The_Night_Guest

Trike: October’s new Sci-Fi, Fantasy, and Horror releases are here to haunt your bookshelf.
https://gizmodo.com/octobers-new-sci-fi-fantasy-and-horror-releases-are-here-to-haunt-your-bookshelf-2000503585

Seth: Brandon Sanderson has plans to build a bookstore on the site of a closed city park. He’s calling it Dragonsteel Plaza.
https://www.sltrib.com/artsliving/2024/09/29/brandon-sanderson-has-bought-land/

BARE YOUR SWORD (Add Timestamp)

Feedback from the audience.

Ruth: I also remember the Teenage Mutant Hero Turtles! (Not surprisingly, as Ruth Tilltab and I are the same age, and we both grew up in the UK). There was a period when the UK was very against anything to do with ninjas or nunchucks. I remember Bruce Lee movies were edited to remove the nunchucks, and so was the Teenage Mutant Hero Turtles cartoon show. According to the Wikipedia article, the cartoon producers even changed Michelangelo’s signature weapon to a grappling hook because of the UK controversy over nunchucks.

Steve: While I agree the specificity of the UK rules is bizarre, one of the reasons why nunchucks were banned is that after the release of Enter the Dragon in 1973/4, there were several incidents of gang violence where the participants were found in possession of nunchucks. As a result, nunchucks and depictions of nunchucks were banned to avoid influencing "the youth." The main reasoning was that it is relatively simple to produce nunchucks, so the "barrier for entry" is very low, making it more likely that kids would be influenced to use them.

BOOK OF THE MONTH DISCUSSION

Kick Off
A Night in the Lonesome October by Roger Zelazny
Bookshop Link
Amazon Link

Wrap Up
Some Desperate Glory by Emily Tesh
Bookshop Link
Amazon Link

SDG: Dulce et Decorum Est
https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/22925185-sdg-dulce-et-decorum-est

SDG: Queer Identity
https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/22918852-sdg-queer-identity

S&L Podcast - #496 - Leminal Space

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Sad news followed by recommendations from Parade Magazine! And The Booker Short List. Plus, do you hate it when a series isn't continuing the story directly? And we check in on our September read of Some Desperate Glory by Emily Tesh.

Download directly here!

WHAT ARE WE NOMMING?
Tom: A cheeseburger from a movie theater
Veronica: Canadian House of Pizza and Garbage

QUICK BURNS - add time stamp
Any news or announcements

Seth and others:

  • Disney has officially announced the Graveyard Book adaptation is “paused.”

  • Netflix has announced Dead Boy Detectives, based on a comic series by Neil Gaiman, will not be getting a second season.

  • Good Omens Season 3 is also paused.

  • Five women have come forward with sexual assault allegations against Neil Gaiman, and there is a police investigation in New Zealand.

  • Gaiman denies the allegations.

Read more
More details
The Guardian article

Tamahome: The Booker shortlist is out. At least there's one with astronauts:

Orbital
Six astronauts rotate in the International Space Station. They are there to do vital work, but slowly they begin to wonder: what is life without Earth? What is Earth without humanity?
By Samantha Harvey
Read more

Mark: Adrian Tchaikovsky has written the screenplay adapting a novella, The Inquest of Pilot Pirx, by Stanislaw Lem.

The English-language film tells the story of Commander Pirx, who leads a small crew of half androids and half humans on a rescue mission into space. None of them know which is which, and Pirx’s secret task is to figure out whether the androids are truly superior to humans. Events turn dangerous when the mission is disrupted by an unknown saboteur.

Is it time to read another book by Mr. Lem?
Read more

Seth: Parade Magazine (I didn't know they cared) delivers a list of the best SFF books of the year so far.
Read more

BARE YOUR SWORD
Feedback from the audience

tilltab — 09/16/2024 2:14 PM:
“I’m just catching up on the podcast, and listening to Wheel of Thyme, and although I know I’m in the wrong here, I still can’t help wincing at Veronica singing 'teenage mutant NINJA turtles,' because in the UK, they decided that 'ninja' wasn’t good for kids, and they were called 'teenage mutant HERO turtles,' and that included a change to the theme song. 'Hero turtles' is what I grew up with, and even though I KNOW 'ninja' is the accurate and correct word to use there, it still sounds so wrong to me! 'Heroes' just fits better! I can’t help thinking that!”

Loosely-Connected Series vs. Shared Universe

BOOK OF THE MONTH DISCUSSION
Some Desperate Glory by Emily Tesh
Bookshop link
Amazon link

SDG: Brainwashed
Read more

SDG: Emily Tesh Interviews
Read more

ADDENDUMS

Our show is currently entirely funded by our patrons. Thank you to all the folks who back our show, and if you would like to support the show that way, head to patreon.com/swordandlaser.

You can also support the show by buying books through our links! Find links to the books we talk about and some of our favorites at swordandlaser.com/picks.

S&L Podcast - #495 - All The News That's Fit to Squee

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We have Dragon Awards and Hugo Awards, we kick off Some Desperate Glory, and wrap up our final thoughts on The Spear That Cuts Through Water. Also, we determine we might need to squee more.

Download directly here!

WHAT ARE WE NOMMING?
Tom: Truffle Mac and Cheese with broccoli
Veronica: Wit beer


QUICK BURNS

Chris K.
From Locus: 2023 Dragon Awards Winners

Best Science Fiction Novel
WINNER: Starter Villain, John Scalzi (Tor; Tor UK)

  • The Jinn-Bot of Shantiport, Samit Basu (Tordotcom)

  • The Saint of Bright Doors, Vajra Chandrasekera (Tordotcom)

  • Theft of Fire, Devon Eriksen (self-published)

  • These Burning Stars, Bethany Jacobs (Orbit US; Orbit UK)

  • Beyond the Ranges, John Ringo & James Aidee (Baen)

  • System Collapse, Martha Wells (Tordotcom)

Best Fantasy Novel (Including Paranormal)
WINNER: Iron Flame, Rebecca Yarros (Red Tower)

  • Three Kinds of Lucky, Kim Harrison (Ace)

  • The Water Outlaws, S.L. Huang (Tordotcom; Solaris UK)

  • He Who Drowned the World, Shelley Parker-Chan (Tor; Mantle)

  • My Brother’s Keeper, Tim Powers (Baen; Ad Astra)

  • House of Open Wounds, Adrian Tchaikovsky (Ad Astra)
    Source

Trike:
The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim, theaters December 13

  • AKA The War between Rohan and Dunland, taking place +/-180 years before the War of the Ring, the sealing of the legend of the Riders of Rohan, the ascension of the heroes of Gondor, the breaking of the old alliance, and the forging of a new path. In other words, a day that ends in Y in Middle-Earth.
    Watch trailer

Seth and JasonReads:
Universal International Studios Buys Matt Dinniman’s Dungeon Crawler Carl with Seth MacFarlane’s Fuzzy Door & Chris Yost Attached
Source

Paul:
George R.R. Martin hosted his very own Alfie Awards in Scotland on Friday to honor excellence in writing in 2023, specifically for people who were deleted from the 2023 Hugo Awards. Congratulations to:

  • RF Kuang for Best Novel (Babel)

  • Xiran Jay Zhao for New Writer

  • Sandman for Dramatic Presentation

  • Paul Weimer for Fan Writer

Kuang said she will cherish her hood-ornament-turned-award forever in a fun and slightly cheeky Instagram post.
See post

AFallenAngel and John:
Hugo 2024 Award Winners
(Also posted in Discord Quick Burns channel)

  • Best Novel: Some Desperate Glory by Emily Tesh (Tordotcom, Orbit UK)

  • Best Novella: Thornhedge by T. Kingfisher (Tor, Titan UK)

  • Best Novelette: “The Year Without Sunshine” by Naomi Kritzer (Uncanny Magazine, November-December 2023)

  • Best Short Story: “Better Living Through Algorithms” by Naomi Kritzer (Clarkesworld, May 2023)

  • Best Series: Imperial Radch by Ann Leckie (Orbit US, Orbit UK)

  • Best Graphic Story or Comic: Saga, Vol. 11 written by Brian K. Vaughan, art by Fiona Staples (Image Comics)

  • Best Related Work: A City on Mars by Kelly Weinersmith and Zach Weinersmith (Penguin Press; Particular Books)

  • Best Dramatic Presentation, Long Form: Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves

  • Best Dramatic Presentation, Short Form: The Last of Us: “Long, Long Time”

  • Best Game or Interactive Work: Baldur’s Gate 3

  • Best Editor Short Form: Neil Clarke

  • Best Editor Long Form: Ruoxi Chen

  • Best Professional Artist: Rovina Cai

  • Best Semiprozine: Strange Horizons

  • Best Fanzine: Nerds of a Feather, Flock Together

  • Best Fancast: Octothorpe

  • Best Fan Writer: Paul Weimer

  • Best Fan Artist: Laya Rose

  • Lodestar (Best YA Book): Moniquill Blackgoose

  • Astounding Award for Best New Writer: Xiran Jay Zhao
    Source


BARE YOUR SWORD
Feedback from the audience

  • Seth: "There’s the book we read last year, The Empress of Salt and Fortune. Maybe it’s more of a dual-timeline story, but there’s action in the present with Chih talking with the older Rabbit, and then the bulk of the story is Rabbit's history."

  • Oaken: "Heroes ON THE half-shelf makes me think of oysters on the half-shell. And while those are yummy, turtles that way would not be good."

  • Katie: "I LOVED A Spear Cuts Through Water, and it confirmed that stories within framing stories are one of my wheelhouses."


BOOK OF THE MONTH DISCUSSION

Kick Off
Some Desperate Glory by Emily Tesh
Bookshop | Amazon

Wrap Up
The Spear Cuts Through Water by Simon Jimenez
Bookshop | Amazon
Goodreads Wrap Up Thread


ADDENDUMS

Our show is currently entirely funded by our patrons. Thank you to all the folks who back our show. If you'd like to support the show, head to Patreon.

You can also support the show by buying books through our links! Find links to the books we talk about and some of our favorites at Sword and Laser Picks.

S&L Podcast - #494 - Wheel of Thyme

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This is not a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles podcast but it sure does end like one. But before it comes to that we boggle at all the awesome award winners, and talk about our good first impressions of The Spear That Cuts Through Water. Oh, and we have an idea for a cafe filled with Brandon Sanderson puns. Oh the puns!

Download directly here!


WHAT ARE WE NOMMING?
Tom: 19 Crimes Cabernet
Veronica: Ardbeg


QUICK BURNS

Jan: The winner of the Arthur C. Clarke Award for the best science fiction novel published in the UK has been named! It's In Ascension by Martin MacInnes. Read more here.

Jan: Winners for the 2024 Imadjinn Awards have been announced.
Best Science Fiction Novel: Prince Liberator by Fred Hughes
Best Fantasy Novel: Heart Master by Nikolas Everhart. Read more here.

TRP: As mentioned here back in January, The Book of Elsewhere by Keanu Reeves and China Miéville has been published.
It is based on Reeves' BRZRKR, Volume 1 comic books that feature an 80,000-year-old god who walks on Earth.
So, autobiography then.

Seth: It's official, Fourth Wing is the international TikTok book of the year. Read more here.

Ruth: Reactor Magazine is releasing preview chapters of Wind and Truth, the fifth book in the Stormlight Archives series, starting on Monday, 29th July (today as I’m writing this). The book will be published in December, but if you need your Brando Sando fix sooner, check out the preview here.

Oaken: The Booker longlist is out. View the list here.
The Booker is one of the more prestigious awards in literary fiction. It’s interesting how some of these novels dance with SF but never really commit to more than a two-step:
Orbital by Samantha Harvey takes place on the ISS. “Six astronauts observe Earth’s splendour while navigating bereavement, loneliness, and mission fatigue.” Ok, there are no lasers or FTL travel.
Enlightenment by Sarah Perry, a story of love and astronomy.
Playground by Richard Powers covers “… humanity’s next great adventure: a plan to send floating, autonomous cities out into the open sea.”

Paul: Bad news for Maas fans in Utah (and for access to literature in general) as 13 books have been banned from all public schools and public libraries in the state, including six of Sarah J. Maas' books:
From the article: "Twelve of the 13 titles were written by women. Six books by Maas, a fantasy author, appear on the list, along with Oryx and Crake by [Margaret] Atwood, milk and honey by Kaur, and Forever… by [Judy] Blume. Two books by Ellen Hopkins appear, as well as Elana K. Arnold’s What Girls Are Made Of and Craig Thompson’s Blankets." Read more here.

BARE YOUR SWORD
Add timestamp! Feedback from the audience

Stephen: I kind of had higher expectations for Cursed Bunny when I read that Bora Chung translates Russian classics into Korean. Some of the most famous short stories are from Russian authors. For example, The Nose by Nikolai Gogol is a short story about a bureaucrat's nose who leaves his face to have a better career in the new Russian bureaucracy. Sounds familiar?

Trike: I had high expectations because I previously read Chung’s other collection, Your Utopia, and liked it quite a lot. Those stories are all science fiction, whereas these are mostly fantasy. The ick factor was too high for my enjoyment, though.

Calvey: I thought it was interesting that niche bookstores are opening. In this day and age, for any physical bookstore to open surprises me. As I am not far from Steamy Lit in Deerfield Beach, I’m going to check it out. I will be curious if Romantasy makes the cut!
Props to a physical bookstore being opened. I’d like a Sci-Fi niche bookstore, please! Read more here.


BOOK OF THE MONTH DISCUSSION

CHECK IN
The Spear Cuts Through Water by Simon Jimenez
Buy on Bookshop.org
Buy on Amazon

Bill:
What an interesting structure of a play within a dream. The chorus commenting throughout really sells that presentation.
Excited to tackle the next chapter.

Iain Bertram:
Yes, hearing from the witnesses and the victims adds to the depth of the world-building and the storytelling.


ADDENDUMS

Our show is currently entirely funded by our patrons. Thank you to all the folks who back our show, and if you would like to support the show that way, head to Patreon.

You can also support the show by buying books through our links! Find links to the books we talk about and some of our favorites at Sword and Laser Picks.

feedback@swordandlaser.com
swordandlaser.com
We are on Instagram, X (Twitter), and Mastodon @swordandlaser
goodreads.com

S&L Podcast - #493 - Bunny Lamps and Bad Decisions

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Oh, Hugos. Also, the best Sci-Fi books of all time, and will AI kill the planet? We kick off our August book The Spear that Cuts Through Water, and wrap up our last thoughts on Cursed Bunny by Bora Chung.

Download directly here!

WHAT ARE WE NOMMING?

Tom: Shrimp Burrito
Veronica: Mac and Cheese bites

QUICK BURNS

John: The Glasgow 2024 Hugo Awards subcommittee has identified that someone has been trying to unfairly influence the vote and has issued a statement about the matter.
Jan: 377 votes have been disqualified for this year's Hugo Awards by the Glasgow WorldCon team. It seems there have been attempts to push for one specific finalist through memberships that were canceled and refunded after votes had been cast. The Glasgow team will not identify who this finalist is as there is no evidence they were involved in the scheme.
Source 1
Source 2

terpkristin: In other Hugos news, Glasgow 2024 has told Chengdu Worldcon co-chair Ben Yalow and Chengdu Worldcon Hugo Administrator Dave McCarty they will not be allowed to attend the convention. McCarty says he did not receive an explanation why; Yalow says he did not request one.
Source

Colin: Just in case anyone is using Goodreads on a Fire Tablet, Amazon has removed the Goodreads app from the Kindle Fire. That may make things like keeping up with the reading challenges a little more challenging.

Mark and Seth: Here's the shortlist for the LeGuin Prize for Fiction:

  • The Saint of Bright Doors by Vajra Chandrasekera (Tordotcom Publishing)

  • The Skin and Its Girl by Sarah Cypher (Ballantine Books)

  • It Lasts Forever and Then It’s Over by Anne de Marcken (New Directions)

  • Orbital by Samantha Harvey (Grove Press)

  • Sift by Alissa Hattman (The 3rd Thing)

  • The Library of Broken Worlds by Alaya Dawn Johnson (Scholastic Press)

  • Those Beyond the Wall by Micaiah Johnson (Del Rey)

  • The Siege of Burning Grass by Premee Mohamed (Solaris)

  • Some Desperate Glory by Emily Tesh (Tordotcom Publishing)

  • Mammoths at the Gates by Nghi Vo (Tordotcom Publishing)
    Source

Pilchie and Seth: The 100 greatest books of the century (so far, according to the NYTimes), and not much in the way of sci-fi or fantasy. I do like that they offer read-alikes for their picks, and I like that they used pictures of well-loved copies of the books. I noticed Station Eleven, Exit West, and The Fifth Season.
Source

Mark: Esquire has selected quite a few Sword & Laser picks for their 75 Best Sci-Fi Books of All Time.
Source

Spriggana: A graphic adaptation of A Wizard of Earthsea is coming on March 11, 2025. No examples of internal art are shown, but Fred Fordham already adapted three other novels: To Kill a Mockingbird, The Great Gatsby, and Brave New World. And while reading about this, I had a thought that if someone would adapt The Left Hand of Darkness, the snow scenes drawn by the right person could be stunning.
Source

Mark: Malka Older announced that Mossa and Pleiti (the main characters of S&L pick The Mimicking of Known Successes) will return for three more books! Follow-up: Malka Older's next Mossa and Pleiti novel is titled The Potency of Ungovernable Impulses.
Source

Tamahøme: The first two chapters from Peter F. Hamilton's game-related next space opera novel (~45 pages): Lots of tech and royalty politics.
Source


BARE YOUR SWORD

Sean Lookielook: Veronica Belbot will read all the books and mispronounce all the names. Seriously though, it seems like everyone's first reaction to anything AI these days is abject horror. I remember when the Star Trek TNG holodeck recreated famous people and we all thought it was amazing. Well, now we're one step closer and suddenly it's creepy? It'll be fine. Culture tends to preserve value. We still have TV despite the Internet, we still have radio despite TV, we still have live plays despite radio. The forms and uses change over time, but it can be argued that they would have changed anyway. That's just the nature of human beings to reinvent old ideas to fit changing circumstances. AI will find its place in the scheme of things, although there may be growing pains along the way. Granted, profiting off someone without their or their estate's permission is a heinous act of piracy. Still, it raises the question—when does a person become public domain?

Iain Bertram (iain_bertram): Like all of these large-scale AI projects, it is based on theft. The estates of the famous dead actors are paid while the audiobook narrators that have their work stolen to train the AI on how to read the books get nothing. The idea that it will be fine in the future ignores the quite real effects of the implementation of new technologies that can disadvantage large swathes of society for the benefit of the very few. It can take decades for these changes to start to benefit the masses. ALSO some people are worried about the environmental effects of datacenter usage.

AI seems destined to play a dual role. On the one hand, it can help reduce the effects of the climate crisis, such as in smart grid design, developing low-emission infrastructure, and modeling climate change predictions. On the other hand, AI is itself a significant emitter of carbon. This message reached the attention of a general audience in the latter half of 2019 when researchers at the University of Massachusetts Amherst analyzed various natural language processing (NLP) training models available online to estimate the energy cost in kilowatts required to train them. Converting this energy consumption in approximate carbon emissions and electricity costs, the authors estimated that the carbon footprint of training a single big language model is equal to around 300,000 kg of carbon dioxide emissions. This is of the order of 125 round-trip flights between New York and Beijing, a quantification that laypersons can visualize.
Source

Peter: Regarding reading Seanan McGuire or Mira Grant. I found Feed on the books almost chosen page on the wiki as it was in the 2017 March Madness tournament. She was also interviewed way back on episode 103.

Sean Lookielook: I don't mind series. What I don't like are books that claim to be part of a series, but have at best a passing relationship to the others—be that the story of a very minor character from another book or just being set in the same universe, for example. Sometimes, you want to see the perspective of a supporting character and read their story, but all too often this winds up being two entirely different books crammed together for marketing purposes. (Romantasy is the worst offender.) Similarly, I actively hate books that don't end properly because the story continues in the next book. That's not a cliffhanger; it's a cop-out. And it always feels like a cash grab. Make your damn book 800 pages if it needs to be 800 pages. If you don't think you can sell a book that long, you haven't met GRRM or Sarah Maas.


BOOK OF THE MONTH DISCUSSION

KICK OFF

The Spear Cuts Through Water by Simon Jimenez
Bookshop
Amazon

WRAP UP

Cursed Bunny by Bora Chung
Biroso
Bookshop
Amazon

S&L Podcast - #492 - Smokey and the Narrator

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We debate whether we want dead celebrities to read our audiobooks. How long is too long for a series? And our non-spoilery takes on Cursed Bunny.

WHAT ARE WE NOMMING?
Tom: Chicken Tacos
Veronica: Sad Thai food

Download directly here!


QUICK BURNS

Elizabeth: Another Penric and Desdemona novella from Lois McMaster Bujold, this one called Penric and the Bandit. This is the 13th installment in this series of novellas (and one full-length novel). Goodreads

Calvey: Hollywood stars’ estates agree to the use of their voices with AI. CNN

Jan: The TikTok Book Awards Shortlist has been announced:

Nominees for Book of the Year (International) are:

  • Yellowface by R.F. Kuang

  • Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros

  • Sword Catcher by Cassandra Clare

  • Chain Gang All Stars by Nana Kwame Adjei-Brenyah

TikTok

Mer: US Library of Congress's National Book Festival seems to be getting better each year at inviting SciFi and Fantasy authors to speak. This year:

  • Ernest Cline

  • James S. A. Corey

  • Rebecca Yarros

  • Tomi Adeyemi

  • Lincoln Child

  • and a lot of others

Held in the nation’s capital at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center on Saturday, August 24, from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Library of Congress

Mark and Trike: Frakes will direct Venus Prime adaptation. I read the Venus Prime series by Paul Preuss when they were published in the late 1980s. They are based on stories by Arthur C. Clarke and as I recall, I found them entertaining science fictional mysteries, but I can't recall any details. Variety

Travis: Hey everyone! A couple of my favorite people are putting a new fantasy book out! Achewillow is a wonderful story podcast written by JF Dubeau and produced by Amy Frost. Well, they are putting Season 1 out in print form. Check out the launch trailer here. YouTube

Mark: Romance Bookstores Are Booming, Dishing ‘All the Hot Stuff You Can Imagine’. Bookstores once shunted romance novels to a shelf in the back. But with romance writers dominating the best-seller lists, a network of dedicated bookstores has sprung up around the country. NY Times

Jasonb: Book of Elsewhere by Keanu Reeves and China Miéville website and book info. The Book of Elsewhere


BARE YOUR SWORD

Stephen: I too was a bit worried about Cursed Bunny but I read Bora Chung's bio and became interested again. Ms. Chung has a degree in Russian and Eastern European Studies and translates Russian literature into Korean. The first story in the collection is, I think, a homage to Nikolai Gogol's The Nose, a short story about a nose leaving a man's face and having a better career than the man whose face it left.

crochetchrisie📚: I suggested a book for the June pick and it was pointed out that it is book 1 in an ongoing 18-book series. So that got me wondering what people think about starting a series with so many books? (And I don't think you can pick and choose in this one; like many urban fantasy series, they build on the previous.) I love this author and am caught up on her other longer series (InCryptid and Wayward Children), but I was saving this one because I knew I'd love it. Sorry if this sounds like a campaign for them to choose my book (I will read it someday regardless) but I was curious how people felt about it. So two questions:

  • Long series - good or bad?

  • What's the longest series you've read all of the books in?
    Goodreads

Buzz: The Cursed Bunny audiobook is also included on Spotify Premium for those who may have it :-) I just recently discovered that audiobooks were available on Spotify Premium. I had no idea until three days ago. Spotify


BOOK OF THE MONTH DISCUSSION

Cursed Bunny by Bora Chung:
Biroso
Bookshop
Amazon

CB: What are we nomming while reading about poop creatures? Goodreads


ADDENDUMS

Our show is currently entirely funded by our patrons. Thank you to all the folks who back our show and if you would like to support the show that way, head to Patreon.

You can also support the show by buying books through our links! Find links to the books we talk about and some of our favorites at Sword and Laser Picks.

feedback@swordandlaser.com
swordandlaser.com
We are on Instagram, X, and Mastodon @swordandlaser
goodreads.com

S&L Podcast - #491 - Next Month, Trauma!

/

It's awards season and we cover them all, including a Martha Wells sweep! We wrap up our thoughts on Sword of Kaigen and get excited (read: trigger warnings) for Cursed Bunny, our July pick.

Download directly here!

WHAT ARE WE NOMMING?
Tom: Garlic and Herb Salmon
Veronica: Lobster Mashed Potatoes


QUICK BURNS

Seth: The Nebula Awards are announced:

  • Nebula Award for Novel: The Saint of Bright Doors by Vajra Chandrasekera (Tordotcom)

  • The Andre Norton Nebula Award for Middle Grade and Young Adult Fiction: To Shape a Dragon’s Breath by Moniquill Blackgoose (Del Rey)

  • Nebula Award for Novella: Linghun by Ai Jiang (Dark Matter Ink)

  • Nebula Award for Novelette: The Year Without Sunshine by Naomi Kritzer (Uncanny 11-12/23)

  • Nebula Award for Short Story: Tantie Merle and the Farmhand 4200 by R.S.A. Garcia (Uncanny 7-8/23)
    Source

Jan: I don't know if it's of interest, but the Indie Book Awards for 2024 have been announced. The winner in the Fiction category is genre author (and... uhm... Hugos excludee) R.F. Kuang for her non-genre novel Yellowface.
Source

Chris K. and Jason: Locus Award Winners

Science Fiction Novel:

  • WINNER: System Collapse by Martha Wells (Tordotcom)

  • The Jinn-Bot of Shantiport by Samit Basu (Tordotcom)

  • A Fire Born of Exile by Aliette de Bodard (Gollancz; JAB Books)

  • Red Team Blues by Cory Doctorow (Tor; Ad Astra)

  • Furious Heaven by Kate Elliott (Ad Astra; Tor)

  • Translation State by Ann Leckie (Orbit US; Orbit UK)

  • The Terraformers by Annalee Newitz (Tor; Orbit UK)

  • Starter Villain by John Scalzi (Tor; Tor UK)

  • Lords of Uncreation by Adrian Tchaikovsky (Orbit US; Tor UK)

  • The Road to Roswell by Connie Willis (Del Rey)

Fantasy Novel:

  • WINNER: Witch King by Martha Wells (Tordotcom)

  • To Shape a Dragon’s Breath by Moniquill Blackgoose (Del Rey)

  • The Keeper’s Six by Kate Elliott (Tordotcom)

  • Emily Wilde’s Encyclopaedia of Faeries by Heather Fawcett (Del Rey; Orbit UK)

  • Dead Country by Max Gladstone (Tordotcom)

  • The Water Outlaws by S.L. Huang (Tordotcom; Solaris UK)

  • Paladin’s Faith by T. Kingfisher (Argyll)

  • He Who Drowned the World by Shelley Parker-Chan (Tor; Mantle)

  • My Brother’s Keeper by Tim Powers (Baen; Ad Astra)

  • City of Last Chances by Adrian Tchaikovsky (Ad Astra)

Jan: From Locus Mag: The Chinese Science Fiction Planet Awards for 2024 have been announced. Winner in the Best Novel Category is Once Upon a Time in Nanjing by Tianrui Shuofu
Source

Jan: From Locus Mag: The 36th Annual Lambda Literary Awards (the “Lammys”), celebrating “the best lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender books,” have been announced. Winner in the LGBTQ+ Speculative Fiction category is I Keep My Exoskeletons to Myself by Marisa Crane
Source

CrochetChristie and Trike: More details about the film adaptation of Project Hail Mary:

  • The screenplay was adapted by Drew Goddard, who also adapted The Martian.

  • It stars Ryan Gosling and Milana Vayntrub.

  • It’s being directed (and one assumes they had writing input) by Phil Lord and Chris Miller, who’ve made The Lego Movie, both Jump Street flicks, and both Spider-verse films, among others.

  • Shooting has started. Source Source

CountZeroOr: Seiun Award winners are in:

Winners of note:

  • Best Japanese Long Story: Fumio Takano's Graf Zeppelin Ano Natsu no Hikōsen (Graf Zeppelin That Summer's Airship)

  • Best Japanese Short Story: Mikihiko Hisanaga's Watashitachi no Kaijū (Kaiju Within)

  • Best Translated Long Story: John Scalzi's The Kaiju Preservation Society (translated by Masayuki Uchida)

  • Best Translated Short Story: Greg Egan's Solidity (translated by Makoto Yamagishi)

  • Best Comic: Delicious In Dungeon (Animated adaptation currently streaming on Netflix)

  • Best Visual Media: Godzilla Minus One (Also currently streaming on Netflix)

  • Best Artist: Kia Asamiya (Silent Mobius, Steam Detectives)

  • Best Non-Fiction: Tokyo Sōgensha Editorial Team's Sōgen SF Bunko Sōkaisetsu (Sōgen SF Bunko Imprint: A General Commentary)

  • Best Related Work: Giant Robots: The Core of Japanese Mecha Anime exhibit
    Source


    Clyde:     John Scalzi has won another Seiun Award. Seems the Japanese like his writing.
    Source

Seth: Barnes and Noble have released their best of 2024 (so far), in some pretty interesting categorical groupings. The most SFF is included in the category: The Cutting Edge: Eight Spredges We're Obsessed With - with spredge apparently being a portmanteau of 'sprayed-edge.' It includes:

  • Heavenbreaker by Sara Wolf

  • The Night Ends with Fire by K. X. Song

  • A Fate Inked in Blood by Danielle Jensen

  • Five Broken Blades by Mai Corland

  • Gothikana by RuNyx
    Source

Joanna: New Hunger Games novel, Sunrise on the Reaping, announced for March 18th, 2025. It will tell the story of the Second Quarter Quell, which means Haymitch's victory. Also, a movie is already in the works (early stages).
Source

Tamhome: The Ye Wengie actress Rosalind Chao from the Three Body Problem Netflix Show (also Keiko from Deep Space 9) did a Three Body Problem audiobook. Wow, Klinger proposed to her in MASH*.
Source

Spriggana: Piranesi animated adaptation?
Source

TRP: The latest edition of the Backlisted podcast (co-hosted by John Mitchinson, publisher of Unbound) features The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: The Original Radio Scripts by Douglas Adams. This is the Douglas Adams book that I want Sword and Laser to read. It contains material not in any other version of the Hitch-Hiker's story and fascinating annotations about the production of the series.
Source

CrochetChristie: Get it girl. V.E. Schwab has a new book coming out next year. Big $ book deal.
Source

Mantissa: Robin Sloan, the author of Sourdough and Mr. Penumbra’s 24-Hour Bookstore, has a new book Moonbound coming out on June 10th, 2024.
Source


BARE YOUR SWORD

terpkristin:

You might say it’s a Maas Effect? 😜 I’m fully on that train, currently in ACOTAR #3.

terpkristin: On the topic of local indie bookstores, yay! I definitely recommend checking them out. Many have stuff other than books like cards (birthday, thank you, etc.), puzzles, and book-adjacent things. My favorite store also has stickers and chocolate creations from a local candy maker. If you don't want to buy a physical book, maybe those other things would appeal. My local stores also work with Kobo for ebooks and Libro.fm for audiobooks. When I buy books on those, my local store gets credit.

Boox Palma
Source

Ruth: What I always do when I go to an independent bookshop is buy a bookmark (I did this today in fact). I don’t read as many physical books these days as I would like, but I’m always happy to acquire a pretty new bookmark. I have quite a collection of them so I can choose one that fits the aesthetic of my latest read.

Geoff: My local independent bookstore has a cafe attached, so I try to frequent that. I also try to buy one physical book per month, even though I prefer reading on Kindle. I find I end up buying a lot of novellas so I can minimize the actual amount of small font reading I have to do. :-)

I'm fortunate enough to have enough money that this won't break the bank, and I like having the bookstore in town!

Tamahome: Bookstores should have a system where you buy a drink, and then you can read ebooks on an app in the store wifi. They can track what gets read and those authors get some money.

John (Taloni): Regarding Scalzi's latest, a good example of the fixup novel/sequential story is our recent read China Mountain Zhang. Related stories tell a full novel's worth of material, different characters and events in each story/chapter.


BOOK OF THE MONTH DISCUSSION

ANNOUNCEMENT
Cursed Bunny by Bora Chung
Biroso | Bookshop | Amazon

WRAP UP
The Sword of Kaigen: A Theonite War Story by M. L. Wang.
Source

Discussion Links:


ADDENDUMS

Our show is currently entirely funded by our patrons. Thank you to all the folks who back our show. If you would like to support the show that way, head to Patreon.

You can also support the show by buying books through our links! Find links to the books we talk about and some of our favorites at Sword and Laser Picks.

S&L Podcast - #490 - Cosy Adjacent

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Are we living in a Maas society? Veronica has recommendations in joining on the Sarah J. Maas train. Independent bookstores are on the rise. We kick off The Sword of Kaigen and give our spoilery thoughts on Emily Wilde's Encyclopaedia of Faeries by Heather Fawcett.

Download directly here!

WHAT ARE WE NOMMING?

Tom: Chicken Wings and Mushroom Alfredo Gnocchi
Veronica: Matcha


QUICK BURNS

Seth: NPR book critics reveal what they're looking forward to this summer, and there's a lot of speculative stuff in there, like.

Chris K: Via Locus: 2023 Aurealis Award Winners (best in Australian speculative fiction)

Mark: 200 new independent bookstores in 2023 and 190 more opening in the next two years. Who's doing all this readingMark: From

Joe Abercrombie "It’s now less than a year until the release of The Devils, and I am delighted to reveal its cover(s). In the US:"

Mark: John Scalzi has finished a new book called "When the Moon Hits Your Eye"


BARE YOUR SWORD

Trike: Great Danes are among several regional breeds known as boarhounds. Apparently they were *a* boarhound, not *the* boarhound. I didn’t find an explanation of why Great Danes become the most popular version of the boarhounds.

Photos of Great Danes from the 1800s show them as ancestors to the modern dogs, but not yet in the form we know them today. Which makes sense. Most breeds back in the day had a lot of regional variation, and modern styles hadn’t yet taken over entire lines.

John (Taloni) On the subject of real-world places that sound like they're made up (like Ljosland) it made me flash on Dark Side of the Moon: "...very hard to explain why you're mad, even if you're not mad."

Seré:
Thanks for Book Briefing. This will serve as a palette cleanser to the Sarah J Maas tunnel I'm currently excavating (i.e I took a look to investigate the fuss and well, I fell in).Veronica notes that Terpkristin is ALSO now reading ACOTAR so I guess I've set us on this path lol


BOOK OF THE MONTH DISCUSSION

KICK OFF
The Sword of Kaigen: A Theonite War Story" by M. L. Wang.

WRAP UP
Emily Wilde's Encyclopaedia of Faeries by Heather Fawcett
Amazon Link
Go forth? How about first?

John Taloni
Tying our last two picks together, (definitely a spoiler) what is it with the sudden proposals of marriage? Altho in this case Wendell is more clear as to the reason for his attraction. Emily is smart, more knowledgable about Fae than the Fae themselves, fearless, strategic, and would make a great queen as well as companion on his quest to get back to his throne. I'm afraid, tho, that at the point of the proposal it is really all about his needs. He doesn't show a full understanding of Emily yet.


ADDENDUMS

Our show is currently entirely funded by our patrons. Thank you to all the folks who back our show and if you would like to support the show that way head to patreon.com/swordandlaser

You can also support the show by buying books through our links! Find links to the books we talk about and some of our favorites at swordandlaser.com/picks

S&L Podcast - #489 - Emily Wilde's Encyclopaedia of Veronicas

/

We have Locus Award and Arthur C. Clarke award nominees. We share our non-spoilery thoughts on Emily Wilde's Encyclopaedia of Faeries by Heather Fawcett. And Tom discovers Birria Ramen!

Download directly here!

WHAT ARE WE NOMMING?

Tom: Del Taco Birria Ramen
Veronica: Nacho pretzels


QUICK BURNS

Chris K - Via Locus: 2024 Locus Awards Top Ten Finalists

Jan: Variety reports that Warner Bros. Is set to Release a new ‘Lord of the Rings’ Movie called ‘The Hunt for Gollum’ in 2026, with Peter Jackson to Produce and Andy Serkis to Direct

crochetchrisie📚

Short list for Arthur c Clarke award 2024 - given to the best science fiction novel first published in the U.K. of the following year, has been announced.

winner will be announced on July 24, 2024

BARE YOUR SWORD

Trike: What happens in my house when Tom rings a bell during the podcast signifying someone covered a square in S&L Bingo:

This also counts as “Trike posts another photo of his dogs”. :p"


Veronica wrote: "omg the picture in the background, I need a close up!"

Trike: We call it “Monkey Pug”. One of Mrs. Trike’s very first purchases from the then-new eBay.

It’s a real litmus test for visitors, because it is framed beautifully by my friend Steve (the frame cost more than the painting) and it occupies a prominent wall space by itself, so we talk about it like it’s the Mona Lisa just to see how they react. No one is sure whether we’re serious or not.

It’s a chimp dressed like a queen holding a pug in a onesie. Of course this is serious art!

BOOK OF THE MONTH DISCUSSION

Emily Wilde's Encyclopaedia of Faeries by Heather Fawcett

Amazon Link

The Problem with Pastiche

tilltab: An Intrusion (spoilers for up to 29th October):

Lauren

Emily references a number of stories from other lands in her footnotes. I have a sense that these are real stories from other cultures that exist in our world. Do you recognize them?

I am currently studying Manx Gaelic and we are reading a book of Manx Fairy Tales. I remember that Emily mentions a story from the Isle of Man in a footnote somewhere. I am listening to the audiobook and can't easily find it - does anyone have the ebook and can easily search for it and remind me of the story she references from the Manx?

I would like to see if I can find it in this book I'm reading. I'll post the story here if it exists.

ADDENDUMS

Our show is currently entirely funded by our patrons. Thank you to all the folks who back our show and if you would like to support the show that way head to patreon.com/swordandlaser

You can also support the show by buying books through our links! Find links to the books we talk about and some of our favorites at swordandlaser.com/picks

S&L Podcast - #488 - Barrayar Your Sword

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Some great books in the Seiun Awards in Japan, why Sword and Laser is good for your heart, we kick off the May pick, and finally wrap up our thoughts on the surprising complexity and depth of the awesome Cordelia's Honor.

Download directly here!


WHAT ARE WE NOMMING?

Tom: Chicken Tacos
Veronica: Mac and Cheese Burger

QUICK BURNS

"Chris K. Yanekon, the 62nd Japan Science Fiction Convention, has announced the finalists for the 2024 Seiun Awards (the Japanese equivalent of the Hugo Awards), honoring the best original and translated works published last year in Japan.

Stephen: The winner of SPFBO 9 ( Self-Publishing Fantasy Blog Off or Spiff-Bo) is: Murder at Spindle Manor by Morgan Stang. It was a close contest

John (Taloni) - Gail Carriger has decided to enlighten us on just what Cozy means.

Iain: Lady Astronaut news. The Martian Contingency is available for pre orders. Have to wait till next March. Boo"

Tamahome: The Witcher is ending with season 5 on Netflix

crochetchrisie📚 —Seanan McGuire will publish more Toby daye and incryptid books at tor.


BARE YOUR SWORD

terpkristin: Thank you guys for helping make my cardio workout less tedious. I mostly listen to podcasts while making short drives around town and at the gym. Longer walks and drives (and flights) are usually for audiobooks. This last 2 weeks I've made execptions to that but generally that's my bookishness. I also read with my eyes often while eating lunch and before bed. Finally back into Cordelia's Honor and still enjoying it, even if there are difficult scenes and if I didn't vote for it. ;)

"Misti - I'm all in for Emily Wilde for next month's pick. I don't mind if the runner-up book (or even a book further down in the voting order) gets picked, especially if it's something I think I'd like to read anyway. One of my favorite things about March Madness is getting introduced to books I haven't heard about and adding them to my TBR list.


What would be on a Sword and Laser Bingo card?


BOOK OF THE MONTH DISCUSSION

Brief Kick Off

Emily Wilde's Encyclopaedia of Faeries by Heather Fawcett

Amazon Link

WRAP UP (Spoilery)

Cordelia's Honor by Lois McMaster Bujold

Shards of Honor

Barrayar

Parental Anxieties

BethMitcham

It’s a great way to examine attitudes towards childbearing/parenting, what are the hidden costs and who we expect to bear them. Although this aspect of things gets more attention in Ethan of Athos.
Barrayar is more about how parenting changes us, the vulnerability of having children."

Sean

Literally just finished.
I'll admit that I like Barrayar more than Shards. I feel like it has a more coherent plot-line, and Cordelia is less on the periphery of events, which is the general vibe I got in Shards.
I also really liked the epilogue, even if I could see where it was going almost immediately. Part of me honestly thinks I should go on with the series."

John Nevets
Just Finished listening to the two books back to back. Most of that was done in driving back and forth from where I went for the eclipse. I liked them both. I have read 3 ( I think) of Miles'es books, and liked those as well. Cordelia was only briefly in those. But it was interesting seeing how much of her is also in Miles character and personality. Always looking for a creative solution to things, and yet curious as a cat. And willing to lead from the front if necessary.

I also found that these books reminded me more of the contemporary space opera, political/ military sci-fi books that are out there Like C. J. Cherryh's Foreigner series, or David Weber's Honor Harrington series, and so where I'm guessing even some of Jack Campbell took some inspiration for his Lost Fleet series. I guess all of these have probably drawn at least some inspiration from the old Patrick O'Brian British Navy books, and the Horatio Hornblower books."

Been
I just finished this last night and thoroughly enjoyed it and how it continues from the first book to portray disability as something to accept and adapt to rather than pity or just hide away. I especially liked that they didn't just ignore it either, and had some strong opposing views which were pushed back on rather token thoughts which were quickly dismissed.

I don't know what experience the author has with disability, but I continue to be surprised at how well this series handles things consider it was started in the 80s.

I've seen that most of the series (aside from the very next book) are also free on audible, so I'll be continuing to read the series for a little while at least. Keen to see where Miles story goes after this."


ADDENDUMS

Our show is currently entirely funded by our patrons. Thank you to all the folks who back our show and if you would like to support the show that way head to patreon.com/swordandlaser

You can also support the show by buying books through our links! Find links to the books we talk about and some of our favorites at swordandlaser.com/picks

S&L Podcast - #487 - Have We Reached Critical Maas?

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OMG all of the top bestsellers are romantasy! What order should you read series in? Does it matter? Also why is Veronica telling Tom to suck it? Or did we misunderstand. Tune in and find out!

Download directly here!


WHAT ARE WE NOMMING?

Tom: Cheesy Stuffed Pasta Shells
Veronica: Bahn mi


QUICK BURNS

Jan: Business Insider has an article on the success of the Romantasy Genre called "Sarah J. Maas is the bestselling author of 2024 so far — and other romance and fantasy authors are right behind her"

Jan: From LocusMag: The Romantic Novelists’ Association (RNA) has announced shortlists for the 2024 Romantic Novel Awards, including the Romantic Fantasy Novel Awards (not Romantasy Awards ;-) ):

Jan: Forbes has released their list of the 30 greatest book series of all time

Jan: Nautilus has an interesting article asking N.K. Jemisin, Andy Weir, Lois McMaster Bujold, David Brin, Cory Doctorow and Charles Stross whether Science Fiction is shaping our Future or not (or how much and where).

Richard: Small Press Distribution Shuts Down

Trike: Dark Matter, Apple TV, May 8.

BARE YOUR SWORD

Stephen: Alas, I am a Dodger Fan. Although I am a true fan of all things baseball. But enough about baseball. A couple of years ago I did a Summer of Bujold, but only did the Fantasy side of her books, but not the Science Fiction mostly because of the book order debate. I am a big fan of her current novella series Penric & Desdemona.

Trike: Currently listening to Paper & Blood by Kevin Hearne, which takes place in the same world as the Iron Druid series, but features a wizard who’s from Glasgow. Narrated by (American) Luke Daniels who is doing yet another spectacular job switching between numerous accents.

BOOK OF THE MONTH DISCUSSION

Hint about May pick
April Book Pick (Tournament Winner)

Cordelia's Honor by Lois McMaster Bujold
Shards of Honor
Amazon version
Barrayar

what’s on the menu?
I didn't vote for him....


ADDENDUMS

Our show is currently entirely funded by our patrons. Thank you to all the folks who back our show and if you would like to support the show that way head to patreon.com/swordandlaser

You can also support the show by buying books through our links! Find links to the books we talk about and some of our favorites at swordandlaser.com/picks

S&L Podcast - #486 - Pre-re-read

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Will Veronica and Tom make it to Glasgow? Not after that embarrassing German pronunciation. And after talking some baseball, they dig into non-spoilery discussion of Cordelia's Honor.

Download directly here!


WHAT ARE WE NOMMING?

Tom: Amboy Crispy Burger

Veronica: Leftover Easter candy

QUICK BURNS

Julie: 2024 Hugo Awards Finalists announced.

Mark added in Discord:

And this year's Sword & Laser Awards Bump™® goes to The Mimicking of Known Successes by Malka Older

Jan: The German SERAPH awards 2024 have been announced.

CountZeroOr posted some excellent details and recommendations in the Discord related to two genre fiction words being added to the OED.

Mark: The 2024 Philip K. Dick Award Winner Announced

BARE YOUR SWORD

"Stephen: I paused Iron Widow mostly because I had another book come in, Empire of the Damned which I really wanted to read right away, and the angst of the main character kind of ground on me, but I hope to get back to it, not on the high priority list, however. (Baseball season started and I am taking Thai Language classes, so this year might have a few DNF books)

As for the March Madness winner, I got the 2 books from the Audible Plus feature, so no Audible credit burned on this Book of the Month

Dave: Timing for watching baseball in SE Asia must be a bit interesting

Stephen: Yeah, night games are on at 6 am for the East Coast teams and 9 am for the West Coast Game. Only problem is day games which generally means Saturday and Sunday Late Nights. "

@petergarner@mastodon.world

@acedtect @swordandlaser Well, I’ve got Neuromancer on hold at the library, so I plan to reread it again after (gulp) 40 years (WTF?) You should too! Hoping it holds up better than the Foundation Trilogy! 😬

Are you two kids coming to Worldcon in Glasgow this year? I'm thinking of heading up to it (I live about an hour from Glasgow) and I would love to meet both of you if you're able 🥰 If not, then another time and another day it shall be lol 😋🥰👍👊

Mike Sedmak on Patreon

If there are any other blind or reading disabled members, you can find the combined book on NLS BARD titled as "Vorkosigan saga. Books 2-3”

Seré on Patreon

Wow, I never realized these book briefings existed. I cannot believe how useful this is. So first, my apologies for being ignorant of the very good work you are doing and thank you so much. I really am just perpetually seréndipitously rediscovering Sword & Laser. It's been a great ride."

BOOK OF THE MONTH DISCUSSION

April Book Pick (Tournament Winner)

Cordelia's Honor by Lois McMaster Bujold

Shards of Honor

-- Amazon

Barrayar

ADDENDUMS

Our show is currently entirely funded by our patrons. Thank you to all the folks who back our show and if you would like to support the show that way head to patreon.com/swordandlaser

You can also support the show by buying books through our links! Find links to the books we talk about and some of our favorites at swordandlaser.com/picks