S&L Podcast - #247 - Parents Just Weren’t Understood

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We're checking in on All The Birds in The Sky by Charlie Jane Anders and why some people were put off by Patrica and Laurence's parents. Trust us, so were Patricia and Laurence. Also it's March Madness and we have the hot inside track on the April fantasy winner and how YOU can pick it.

Download direct here!

WHAT ARE WE DRINKING?    
Tom: Lagunitas IPA    
Veronica: James Pepper 1776 Rye Whiskey  
    
QUICK BURNS
    
An Unattractive Vampire by Jim McDoniel is out today!

Dharmakirti: Ian McShane has been cast as Wednesday in the American Gods adaptation for Starz. YES! 
    
Alex: Good news for everybody who like non-western science-fiction and fantasy (like me), several drool-worthy translations are being released this year. Among them are the final volume in both the Three-Body Problem trilogy and the Night Watch series. And the never before translated to english book by Arkady and Boris Strugatsky, The Doomed city.
    
Joanna: Lois McMaster Bujold was interviewed by David Larson for the NZ Herald. A pull quote I found interesting: 
"The great game change came, of course, with Amazon's Kindle, and it's been huge. I now make as much or more - every month! - from my [totalled] e-sales as I used to make every six months from my paper sales. I have no idea how long this manna from e-heaven will last but it's holding steady at the moment."
    
Tamahome: Lots of books from Peter F. Hamilton this year (SF April Madness?), including the conclusion to the Commonwealth Saga (Sep. 27 in US)
    
SFWA Names Sir Terry Pratchett as Recipient of the Kate Wilhelm Solstice Award
    
Philip K. Dick Award Nominees Launch New Website, Offer Cool Stuff
    
Tamahome: V.E. Schwab’s A Gathering of Shadows Debuts at #15 on the New York Times Bestseller List
    
March Madness update
    
Vampire Secrets
    
BARE YOUR SWORD
    
Dear Veronica and Tom,

In the acknowledgements for All the Birds in the Sky, Charlie Jane Anders says she will come to your house and act the book out with finger puppets if there are confusing or disliked parts. I think you should take her up on it for the wrap up.

Cheers,
Jenny Colvin
    
BOOK OF THE MONTH DISCUSSION    
    
All the Birds in the Sky by Charlie Jane Anders
    
Amy: I hate it, but I love it. I'm so confused!

Mr: Too self-aware
    
Michele:  Diversity and SJW themes
    
ADDENDUMS    
    
Congrats to the winners of copies of "The Life Engineered":
Adam G.
Mark M.
    
Our show is currently entirely funded by our patrons at patreon.com/swordandlaser 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 - #246 - The 34 Rules of Robotics with J-F Dubeau

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We chat with J-F Dubeau, author of The Life Engineered, first book in the Sword and Laser Inkshares collection. Find out whether the thousand year old robots in the book had any real life inspirations and whether they have sex. We're guessing you're slightly more interested in one of those questions than the other. 

Download direct here!

Our show is currently entirely funded by our patrons at patreon.com/swordandlaser 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 - #245 - Terry Pratchett Helps Us Feel Better

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We're very excited about the debut of our first Sword and Laser Inkshares collection book, The Life Engineered by JF Dubeau. We're a little bummed that Tom forgot to bring more than water to drink. We're super-excited about the Nebula Award nominees. And we were a little bummed at some of the reactions to The Sword of Shannara. But Vickie helped us out with an amazing Terry Pratchett quote, and all was well in Swordandlaserville.

Download file here!
    
WHAT ARE WE DRINKING?    
Tom:    Water
Veronica:     Hot Toddy
    
QUICK BURNS
    
The Life Engineered is out today!    
    
Andy (and Tamahome)The Dark Tower movie has a release date! January 13, 2017
    
Rob: Nebula nominees are out    
Nokomis.FL The Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America (SFWA) have announced that John Hodgman will be Toastmaster at the 2016 Nebula Awards Weekend, the 50th anniversary of the Awards, to be held May 12-15, 2016.    
    
Sandra: Fans of Leigh Brackett can now own "The Book of Stark", a collection of novels and short stories about space adventure Eric John Stark!     
    
BARE YOUR SWORD
    
"Hi guys - I'm sure I should be more on top of things and post this on Reddit or something. I love the show and am glad to support it on Patreon. I thought you might be interested in a pretty cool fundraiser with a great SciFi twist that I learned about. Geeky Giving (geekygiving.org) is raising money for the Barrow Neurological Institute by getting SciFi writers and artists to create short stories and artwork inspired by the work done at Barrow. In exchange for a small donation, you receive periodic bundles of stories. They just published their first bundle with stories by Mary Robinette Kowal, Karina Cooper, Edward Ashton, and Sierra Dean. I love it when things I love, SciFi, can support not-for-profit organizations. Thanks!

Mitchell"
    
Recommended Utopian Scifi Novels
    
BOOK OF THE MONTH DISCUSSION    
    
KICKOFF  

All the Birds in the Sky by Charlie Jane Anders
All The Birds in the Sky Tumblr
    
WRAP-UP    

Sword of Shannara by Terry Brooks
    
"I was listening to ep 243 and your discussion about Sword of Shanarra aping LotR. I'm surprised you didn't bring up the following Terry Pratchett quote regarding Tolkien and fantasy:

“J.R.R. Tolkien has become a sort of mountain, appearing in all subsequent fantasy in the way that Mt. Fuji appears so often in Japanese prints. Sometimes it’s big and up close. Sometimes it’s a shape on the horizon. Sometimes it’s not there at all, which means that the artist either has made a deliberate decision against the mountain, which is interesting in itself, or is in fact standing on Mt. Fuji.”
– Terry Pratchett, A Slip of the Keyboard: Collected Non-Fiction (p. 112)

It has really helped give me perspective when I think a book is too much like LotR. We frequently forget how huge LotR is in shaping all subsequent fantasy.

Vickie"    
    
ADDENDUMS    
Giveaway: Send us ideas for our 5-minute monthly silliness show through Patreon, or if you can't use patreon feedback@swordandlaser.com
    
 Our show is currently entirely funded by our patrons at patreon.com/swordandlaser 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 - #244 - It's OK to Like Junk Fiction Sometimes

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Sometimes some people just want a story you can take your brain off and enjoy. If that's not you, keep your rain off my cotton candy. Also an awesome new effort to Kickstart an Ursula K. Leguin documentary and more great books becoming TV shows!

Download directly here!

QUICK BURNS

Paul: Victoria (V.E.) Schwab, author of "A Darker Shade of Magic" and the upcoming "Gathering of Shadows", among others, has announced that the TV rights for her "A Darker Shade of Magic" series have been acquired and she will be writing the pilot for it.

Stephen: Are you having a hard time keeping up with Hugo nominations as regards to Novelettes, short stories and the like, like me ? The good folks at Rocket stack rank have listed those they feel are the most worthy.

Tamahome: The Women Who Helped Revive Doctor Who Are Making a New Fantasy Show based on Deborah Harkness's books.

Aaron: There is a documentary of Ursula K. Le Guin's life on Kickstarter. 25 days left and already well above their target funds.

Sandra: Syfy announces that The Magicians will be renewed for a second season.

Trike: Bryan Fuller named showrunner of the new Star Trek TV series.

Rob: The script for the new Harry Potter plays will be released in book form.

BARE YOUR SWORD

Audible virgin looking for help

BOOK OF THE MONTH DISCUSSION

Sword of Shannara by Terry Brooks

SoS: Why I like reading Junk Fiction (like SoS)

Special BONUS! Interview with James SA Cory from the "It's Spoilerin Time" show at cordkillers.com

ADDENDUMS

We'll be interviewing the first two authors in the Sword and Laser Inkshares collection coming out soon

Questions for J-F Dubeau author of The Life Engineered

Questions for Jim McDoniel author of An Unattractive Vampire

Our show is currently entirely funded by our patrons at patreon.com/swordandlaser 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 - #243 - Hugo Nominations Are Open!

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Yes you can nominate your favorite novels, short stories, TV scripts and— oh look, fancasts! We also discuss the line between inspiration and appropriation regarding Sword of Shannara.

Download directly here!
    
WHAT ARE WE DRINKING?    
Tom: Roots Dry New England Cider    
Veronica: Bulleit Bourbon    
    
QUICK BURNS
    
Sandra: Nominate your favorite books (and podcasts) for a Hugo
    
Locus recommended reading list for 2015 books    
    
Joanna: On a different note, they've cast Shadow from American Gods and, at least to me, he's well within spec for the mixed-race character. Yay for not completely screwing it up!? 
    
Kristina: Altered Carbon to become a show on Netflix!     
    
Andrew: For all those who enjoyed our read through "City of Stairs", Robert Jackson Bennett's sequel, though not available on Amazon until the 26th of this month, is available at most bookstores and through pre-order. Check out "City of Blades" and purchase using the special S&L link I've included below, so that our fabulous hosts get some money for the referral URL."   
     
BARE YOUR SWORD
    
It's 2 Feb (again)    
    
Favorite S&L of 2015
 
BOOK OF THE MONTH DISCUSSION    
    
Sword of Shannara by Terry Brooks

Radiance by Catherynne M. Valente
    
ADDENDUMS    
    
 Our show is currently entirely funded by our patrons at patreon.com/swordandlaser 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 - #242 - The Animal in Our Collection

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We congratulate the winners of our Inkshares contest and name the book that will be joining our Sword and Laser collection. Plus, why you shouldn’t be angry at George R. R. Martin and how Catherynne M. Valente’s Radiance is like a Tone Poem.    

Download directly here!

WINNERS!    
    
Congrats to our Sword and Laser Collection addition!    
The Animal in Man by Joseph Asphahani!   
An artifact of immense power puts Maxan in the middle of a secret war between mighty guilds. To overcome the resourceful and sinister masters who would use him, use everyone, as puppets, he must decide which nature defines him. Animal, or man?    
    
And big congrats to the other Inkshares contest winners who will be published by Inkshares!    
The Last Machine in the Solar System by Matt Sobin    
The Bones of the Past by Craig Munro    
    
QUICK BURNS
    
Sky: George RR Martin finally admitted what everyone knew - that The Winds of Winter won't be out before the premiere of season six of Game of Thrones on HBO  

Tamahome: Graph of GRRM's publishing intervals show he's writing as fast as JK Rowling did and faster than Tolkien or CS Lewis.
    
Trike: Harlan Ellison. Released. A. New. Book. Came out December 31st from Subterranean Press. It's called Can & Can'tankerous. Which is awesome.  
    
Nokomis.FL: Friend of show, N.K. Jemisin Launches SFF Column at The New York Times Book Review.
    
Kate:  TechCrunch reports that Pottermore has abandoned exclusivity for the Harry Potter series. You can now purchase the ebooks directly through Amazon and B&N.
    
Sandra  :Phillip K. Dick Award Nominees
    
Stephen: A new Joe Abercrombie short story edited by the new guy at Tor.com. 
    
Nokomis.FL: Amazon Echo can now read your Kindle books aloud on request.
    
    
BOOK OF THE MONTH DISCUSSION    
    
Radiance by Catherynne M. Valente
    
Josh: You guys may have dug this up already, but this short story is what Valente expanded/altered to create Radiance.  It's free on Clarkesworld, and even has audio of her reading it!

On one hand I really want to read it, on the other it might be spoilery, so I'll probably save it til I've finished the book.

Is this a good book or is it merely an impressive example of the writer's art?
    
It seems like the basic argument of a lot of the book is that there's no such thing as nonfiction? ...But then I wonder if there's a second, subtler argument going on, that not only is nonfiction a lie, but fiction is the only way to truth.     
    
ADDENDUMS    
    
Our show is currently entirely funded by our patrons at patreon.com/swordandlaser 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 - #241 - A.I. Animal Flesh Carvers

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We talk to three of the leaders in the Inkshares Sword and Laser collection contest. From animal people to lonely AI to epic flesh carvers have they got some stories for you!

Download directly here!

Joseph Asphahani, The Animal in Man    
An artifact of immense power puts Maxan in the middle of a secret war between mighty guilds. To overcome the resourceful and sinister masters who would use him, use everyone, as puppets, he must decide which nature defines him. Animal, or man?
    
Matt Sobin, The Last Machine in the Solar System    
The story of The Last Machine in the Solar System is about a robotic artificial intelligence that has outlived human civilization by multiple billions of years. The machine has had an incomprehensible length of time to consider the demise of man and his own existence.
    
Craig Munro, The Bones of the Past
Life twisting magic, demonic possession and immortals who have outlived many of the gods themselves come together in this epic fantasy inspired by the likes of Glen Cook and Steven Erikson.
    
Go order a book at the Inksahres contest!
    
ADDENDUMS    
    
Our show is currently entirely funded by our patrons at patreon.com/swordandlaser 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 - #240 - Wish We Were There

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Over the break, we took a little time out of vacation to talk about our holiday reads, from ancient history to Chewbacca. Sigh. No Star Wars spoilers we promise.  We’re not there anymore. But we can pretend we are in this episode. 

Download directly here!

The History of the Ancient World by Susan Wise Bauer

The Tipping Point by Malcolm Gladwell

So You’ve Been Publicly Shamed by Jon Ronson

The Force Awakens by Alan Dean Foster
 

 

S&L Podcast - #239 - King Arthur is a Mary Sue

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We wrap up our thoughts about Arrows of the Queen by Mercedes Lackey. And we discuss why calling a character a “Mary Sue” has become meaningless and impedes constructive conversation.  

Download direct here and rate us in iTunes!
    
WHAT ARE WE DRINKING?    

Tom: Guinness    
Veronica: Bulleit Rye
    
QUICK BURNS
    
The Very Best Science Fiction And Fantasy Books Of 2015
    
Trike: Margaret Atwood is writing a graphic novel trilogy, with a main character who is part cat and part bird, named Angel Catbird.
    
David: Apparently Neil Gaiman is working on a film adaptation of Gormenghast. I'd never heard of this series, but apparently it's one of those classics that impact lots of authors.    
    
Keith: Lev Grossman wrote a guide to The Magicians (TV) for fans of The Magicians (book)
    
Paul: The EFF (Electronic Frontier Foundation), has released their own speculative fiction collection, featuring Bruce Sterling, Cory Doctorow, and more.
    
Sandra: The Man in the High Castle Season 2 is officially happening.
    
Sword and Laser Inkshares Contest
    
BARE YOUR SWORD
    
Tails of the Apocalypse - Veronica is reading this review copy, loves it so far!
    
BOOK OF THE MONTH DISCUSSION    
    
Next Month    

Radiance by Catherynne M. Valente    
    
Wrap-up Arrows of the Queen    
    
Typos in my edition
    
An abundance of feminist ideas?
    
AotQ: A rare negative review?
        
ADDENDUMS    
    
Our show is currently entirely funded by our patrons at patreon.com/swordandlaser 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 - #238 - W.E.B. Dubois' 1908 GoT Reference

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A newly-discovered short story from W.E.B. Dubois called “The Princess Steel” seems to anticipate elements of Game of Thrones and Doctor Who. Plus, we kick off the book with the talking horses!  

Download directly here, and rate us on iTunes!
    
WHAT ARE WE DRINKING?    
Tom: Sam Adams Winter Lager
Veronica: Leftover Red Wine from Thanksgiving that I got at  Whole Foods for $10    
    
QUICK BURNS
    
We May Have Just Found W.E.B. Du Bois' Earliest Science Fiction Story (1908 story called The Princess Steel) 
    
HobbitfromPA: Kim Stanley Robinson's Red Mars Is Coming to TV    
    
READ: Kim Stanley Robinson's first standalone story in 25 years! / Boing Boing    
    
Tamahome: "The Mountain" from Games of Thrones sets new keg tossing record, as he would.    
    
Andrew: Pierce Brown has won the Goodreads Choice Awards for Best Science Fiction Book of 2015 - huzzah!    

Goodreads choice award winners    
    
Walter: Opening in select IMAX theaters and on Netflix on February 26, the sequel to Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon: Sword of Destiny.  
      
Sword and Laser Inkshares Contest    
    
BARE YOUR SWORD
    
Stand-Alone Fantasy Novels    

Getting to “The End.” Standalone Fantasy Books That Came Out in 2015   
    
Steampunk - Recommendations?    
    
BOOK OF THE MONTH DISCUSSION    
    
Arrows of the Queen by Mercedes Lackey    
     
ADDENDUMS    

Our show is currently entirely funded by our patrons at patreon.com/swordandlaser 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 - #237 - Charles E. Gannon and Big Idea Books

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Author Chuck Gannon joins us on the show this week to talk about his most recent work in the Caine Riordan series (Raising Caine), as well as helping the government figure out the future as part of SIGMA. This is one busy guy, let me tell you.

Download direct link here and subscribe in iTunes!

S&L Podcast - #236 - Time Travel is Frustrating

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We wrap up what people thought about Time and Again by Jack Finney. Some loved the imagery, some got bored, and some thought he was just too hard on New York City.

Download directly here, and subscribe in iTunes!
    
QUICK BURNS
    
Louie: As previously reported, you can watch the first episode of The Expanse TV show right now. Three weeks before its SyFy premiere on DEC 14.
    
Joanna: On a different note, it's Worldbuilder's time again, and all kinds of creative and geeky activity and prizes are caught up in that. It's a big fundraiser for Heifer International run by Patrick Rothfuss.
    
Stephen: Nebula have released their reader guide for 2015 in all categories. 
Sandra: Nominations For the 2016 Nebula Awards Are Now Open    
    
Which reminds us, the Goodreads Choice awards voting just closed!   
    
Sandra: Orbit Books announced yesterday that they were expanding their SF/F line by 50% next year to publish a whopping 90 books starting in 2016.
    
9 sci-fi authors went to Microsofts research labs and wrote a book - @usuallymatt    

An Unattractive Vampire joins the Inkshares Collection
    
BARE YOUR SWORD
    
How is this for whiskey nerdism (deep breath):

First, both Tom and Veronica are drinking whiskey. Scotch, bourbon, Japanese, Irish, Canadian -- they're all whiskey. It's like how all squares are rectangles, but not all rectangles are squares. Each subdivision of whiskey has its own rules. Scotch, for instance, can only be made in Scotland. You can make something exactly like it somewhere else, but you can't call it scotch. And even within scotch, there are sub-sub-divisions (single malt vs blend vs single grain, etc etc)

As for Japanese whisky (let's not get into whiskey/whisky right now): Tom is drinking whisky from Japan's first whiskey distillery, pioneered by a guy named Masataka Taketsuru, who loved Scotch, studied distilling in Scotland, and in 1920 fell in love with and married a Scottish woman named Rita Cowan. He returned to Japan, set up whiskey distilling at what would become Suntory, and met with very little success because Japanese drinkers did not like the burly taste of single malt (they preferred the tamer flavor of blended scotch) that Taketsuru so adored.

Ten years later, after his contract with Suntory was up, Taketsuru quit and started his own distillery with the aim of making Scottish style whisky again. And that's what Veronica is drinking: Nikka.

There was recently a massively popular soap opera about Taketsuru and Cowan called MASSAN that aired on NHK and caused a massive spike in interest among Japanese women in becoming whisky drinkers. Which is why, Veronica, that Nikka 12 year old you're drinking won't be available in the Us (or Japan) anymore. They're running out, and dropping age statements so they can use younger whisky without the stigma of a young age printed on the label (by law, the age on the bottle reflects the youngest whisky used; so if you make a brand by mixing 50% forty year old single malt and 50% 4 year old single malt -- you just made a 4 year old whisky). - Keith Allison
    
Help needed from the group - Where to start the Shannara saga?   
    
BOOK OF THE MONTH DISCUSSION    
    
Next month: Arrows of the Queen by Mercedes Lackey       
    
Wrap up:    
Time and Again by Jack Finney
    
1880s via the 1970s (long but worth the read) 
    
What did you think?
    
Joanna: I found it kind of sleepy until I hit somewhere around 60%, and the Pickering plot picks up. For most of the book I was wondering if the author forgot about the [fact that Dazinger had asked Si to see his parents meeting, but then it got addressed in the very end.    
    
Colin: I listened to the Audible version of the book, and have to say that I enjoyed the experience. I instantly felt 'at home' with the conversational story telling style and was quite happy to be swept along wherever the story went - listening whenever I could until I had finished the whole thing.

That said, the story is not hard hitting, nor does it try to address big issues. The mechanics of the time travel, don't really bear close scrutiny. It just is what it is - a cleverly plotted mystery where the action happens to be taking place 90 years in the protagonist's past. I can see why some people could have been frustrated by the overly descriptive writing, but the richness of the text is really what sells the time travel aspect. The author must have researched it very closely - or he at least gives that impression."    
    
Matthew: I have to say other that other then the vivid descriptions of 1882 New York, I kind of hated this book. I grew to despise the main character, and in the last third of the book began to think of him as either, at best a well meaning idiot, or at worst self important anti-hero. After reading another thread, I see the Social commentary the author is trying to get at with the architectural changes of New York, and the anti-""ends justify the means"" style of government. However in the end I am left feeling dissatisfied.
    
ADDENDUMS    
    
Our show is currently entirely funded by our patrons at patreon.com/swordandlaser 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 - #235 - The Practical Effects of Mallory O'Meara

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We interview Mallory O'Meara, producer and screenwriter for Dark Dunes Productions, about Yamasong: March of the Hallows, a movie about an automated girl and tortoise warrior, with puppets, Nathon Fillion’s voice and more. We also discuss her love of horror fiction, and how weird it is that her grandparents have a torture shack in the woods!

Download directly here!

S&L Podcast - #234 - We Think We Know How Game of Thrones Ends

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George R R Martin will only say that Game of Thrones will end in a bittersweet way. We’re pretty sure we know what that means. Also Chinese Nebula Award winners and our first impressions of Time and Again by Jack Finney.

Download directly here, and rate us on iTunes!

WHAT ARE WE DRINKING?    
Tom:  Hakushu
Veronica: Taketsuru
    
QUICK BURNS
    
Shocker: George RR Martin says Game of Thrones ending will be bittersweet
    
Winner of the Chinese Nebula Awards
    
Rob and Tamahome: New Star Trek TV show!
    
Tamahome: In non-Star Trek related news, Amazon opens its first brick n mortar bookstore. 
    
Alex: Looks like The Expanse will be getting a digital premiere starting November 23rd! 
Tamahome: Tamahome Tch. That's just what Captain Jim Holden would do, stream it to all the planets before its time.     
    
James: Philip Pullman's Dark Material trilogy is being made into a TV series. Hopefully they do a better job of it than the film as this is an amazing trilogy. 
    
Sandra: The 2015 World Fantasy Award Winners have been announced    
    
BARE YOUR SWORD

Interview with China Miéville

After my mention in episode 225 I will follow up with another reference to the BBC. http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b06mblgl
I listened live to the first 5 minutes and wanted to stay in the car. Luckily, I have it waiting with your podcast for me in the future :)

Paul B
 
BOOK OF THE MONTH DISCUSSION    
    
Time and Again by Jack Finney
    
T&A: Places and History
    
T&A: meta time travel observations

ADDENDUMS    
    
Our show is currently entirely funded by our patrons at patreon.com/swordandlaser 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 - #232 - Is This Book a Traitor To Its Genre?

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We wrap up our October book pick, The Traitor Baru Cormorant. Some people find the hero less than heroic. Some people find the genre less than fantasy. So why did Tom like it so much? Is HE a traitor? Also a short story vending machine and why we're so jealous of Ann Leckie's good taste.

Download direct here!

WHAT ARE WE DRINKING?    
Tom: Templeton Rye    
Veronica: Rincon Del Tajo    
    
QUICK BURNS
    
Winners British Fantasy Awards
    
This vending machine prints short stories to read instead of looking at your phone
    
J.K. Rowling's Harry Potter play 'Cursed Child' is an official sequel
    
Mark: Ann Leckie posts her "10 Best Science Fiction Books" list at Publishers Weekly
    
Joanna: An "eARC" of Lois McMaster Bujold's latest Vorkosigan book, Gentleman Jole and the Red Queen is available on the Baen website. 
    
Trike: Apparently someone found a map of Middle Earth annotated by Tolkien himself, in an old book belonging to the original map illustrator of both LotR and Narnia. Turns out Hobbiton and Oxford are on the same latitude."    
    
BARE YOUR SWORD
    
"Why Andy Weir needs to update his website," or "What short stories are you reading/have you read"    
    
BOOK OF THE MONTH DISCUSSION    
    
Next month: Time and Again by Jack Finney    
    
WRAP UP    
    
The Traitor Baru Cormorant by Seth Dickinson    
    
Is this book fantasy?  Veronica asks, you answered
    
What's the message? (full spoilers)
    
ADDENDUMS    
    
Our show is currently entirely funded by our patrons at patreon.com/swordandlaser 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 - #231 - Can an Author Spoil Herself?

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We have a delightful conversation with Catherynne M. Valente about decopunk, book awards, and why she fears spoiling herself about her own stories while she’s writing them.

Her decopunk book Radiance is out now!

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/. Download this episode directly here!

S&L Podcast - #230 - Reading Makes You a Better Person, Says Science

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We cheer for Patrick Rothfuss winning the Hollywood game, jeer a little at Spielberg refusing to put a Delorean in the Ready Player One movie and peruse with careful academic curiosity a study showing the increase in empathy caused by reading.

Direct download here!
    
WHAT ARE WE DRINKING?    
Tom: Bulleit
Veronica: Hendricks Gin and Tonic
    
QUICK BURNS

Rob: Patrick Rothfuss signed some kind of multi-media (Movie, TV And Video game?) deal with Lionsgate.

Louie: No Spielberg references in the Ready Player One film adaptation.

John: Science Shows Something Surprising About People Who Still Read Fiction. They tend to be more empathetic towards others.

Robert: Helene Wecker posted on her Facebook page that there will be a sequel to The Golem and the Jinni to be titled The Iron Season. It's a ways off but I think the wait will be worth it.

Stephen: One of the authors I suggested for future interviews was Jen Williams. Well, her books are now going to be available in the USA, via Angry Robot books. The announcement was made this week on Barnes and Noble's website.

BARE YOUR SWORD

Baby Brains, defined

On Spoilers & The Spoiler Tag

BOOK OF THE MONTH DISCUSSION

The Traitor Baru Cormorant by Seth Dickinson    
    
Is this the modern fantasy 1984?

Race, Culture, and Empire

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 - #229 - Taylor Swift is a Fremen

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We wrap up A Canticle for Leibowitz and explore all its science and religion feels. Also we welcome a new Expanse series cover, a new Gaiman baby and we discover why Taylor Swift IS the Kwisatz Haderach. 

Download direct here!

WHAT ARE WE DRINKING?    
Tom: Water    
Veronica: Vitamin B12    
    
QUICK BURNS

Shelfie Is Shazam For Your Bookshelf
    
SporadicReviews.com Next Expanse novel "Babylon's Ashes" cover-reveal! June 2016 is too far away!
    
Rob Secundus: Maybe not worthy of a segment, but alt-country/rock singer Ryan Adams just released a cover album of noted pop star and possible escapee from the realm of the fey Taylor Swift's 1989. Why does Adams think the T-Swiz is so succesful? Well, she's just like the Kwisatz Haderach!

Ryan Adams said, “There’s that special, very interesting ingredient where you hear a skeleton of the song, just the bones, and her voice, and you go, 'Well, of course, this person plays to 60,000 people.’ It’s like at the end of Dune, with Paul Atreides riding the Sandworm, and his eyes are all blue from the spice mélange. That’s totally how I see Taylor.”
    
Andy: Neil Gaiman and Amanda Palmer welcomed their child Anthony Gaiman on September 16th! 
    
terpkristin: So long, Oyster! The "Netflix of ebooks" is shutting down, and most of the team is apparently going to join Google. The co-founders were definitely hired by Google, but it seems that a bunch of the staff may have been, too. Will be interesting to see what Google does with this...if anything.    
    
terpkristin: Storybundle.com is doing a bundle of 11 books that were finalists or winners of the Philip K. Dick Award (honoring distinguished science fiction). It will be going on for the next 22 days, or until about mid-October. 
    
Warren: Scientists have for the first time confirmed liquid water flowing on the surface of present-day Mars.
    
BARE YOUR SWORD
    
Hello!

I do my own podcast about games, gaming etc, recently there's been a metallic twang to the far end when recording our sessions via skype.

The sound in your podcasts is always superior. If its not terribly intrusive could you tell me what software you use to teleconference and record.

Thanks in advance.

Brian

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Ok, I'm sorry for this kinda silly question. My wife and I have noticed that a few recent SF/Fantasy novels have been using the word "sussurrus" and its other forms quite a lot. Rothfuss, Tregillis, Scalzi, and Graedon for example. We always tell each other when we encounter the word in a book or story and say "Gotcha, page XX!"

Is there some kind of inside joke being shared among the author community, or a ritual use of the word, maybe an homage to someone?

I hope bringing this up doesn't squelch or make anyone self censor, not our intention. Just chasing a silly phantom.

Thanks for your great site and podcasts!
Mike
    
BOOK OF THE MONTH DISCUSSION    
    
Next month: The Traitor Baru Cormorant by Seth Dickinson    
Quiz to tell you who you are in Baru's world    
How Evil SFF Empires Create Ideal Citizens    

Wrap-up

A Canticle for Leibowitz by Walter M. Miller Jr. 
    
Rachel [Spoilers]
    
ACFL: What to make of the crazy ending?

ADDENDUMS    
    
Our show is currently entirely funded by our patrons at patreon.com/swordandlaser 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 - #228 - Is Present Tense for Baby Brains?

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This week, things really go nuts when Veronica realizes that she likes Tom's book pick more than Tom does, which causes Tom to question everything he has ever known. Meanwhile, over on Goodreads, Thane questions whether present tense is the bane of genre fiction! Hmmm...

Download direct here!

WHAT ARE WE DRINKING?    
Tom: Yorkshire Gold Tea
Veronica: Candy Peaches (eating)

QUICK BURNS

Thane: Looks like BBC is doing The City and the City. A 4 part adaptation. The City & the City

Tamahome: I didn't know Octavia Butler's Dawn would be adapted to tv either.

Trike: Amazon is saying the first season of The Man in the High Castle will be available November 20, 2015. If you haven't seen the pilot, I highly recommend it. And I'm known as The Guy Who Hates Everything. (Which isn't true. I only hate MOST things. But this I love.)

Jason is referring to Nnedi Okorafor’s Binti, when he says:  I just found this tidbit on tor.com. This sounds exciting, the novella is read by Robin Miles and she worked closely with the author to get the right sounds and inflection to world build. Here's the synopis: "Binti is a brilliant young woman who is the first of the Himba community to be offered a place at the galaxy’s finest institution of higher learning." There is also a spooky race of bad guys.  Has there ever been a collaboration with an author to make a book sound right? "    ---(Tamahome found the Tor link)  

Stephen: Mark Lawrence has started a new story on Wattpad. It is a free western fantasy told in 19 parts.

Elizabeth: Turns out Uprooted may contain True Facts: io9. Medieval Skeleton Found Dangling From the Roots of a Fallen Tree.

BARE YOUR SWORD

Present Tense - Can you dig it? 

Epic Fantasy with Romance?

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Dear Tom and Veronica,

I recently stumbled across a super-rad book from the University of Pennsylvania Press, ER Truitt's Medieval Robots, and I thought, what could be more Sword and Laser than that? I mean, ok, Space Dragons, maybe, and also actual laser swords. But still, Medieval Robots are probably the third most sword-and-lasery thing in existence. The title sounds like that of a really generically titled pulp, but it's actually a survey of automata in the Western Medieval world-- the fictional robots that feature in Medieval Romance and legend, the pseudo-fictional robots that feature in travelogues (turns out, the Middle East? Filled with robots!), and real, historical robots that were installed as curiosities in courts. Anyway, it's so rare that nonfiction stuff is relevant to the show that I thought I should share.
Rob S. 

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I recently started listening to NPR's Ask Me Another, where Jonathan Coulton is the house musician, and heard one of their older episodes. On their July 31, 2014 show, Saladin Ahmed was a guest. This reminded me of your Bonus Interview with Saladin in 2012. I have not seen a video of Ask Me Another, so we cannot be sure whether Saladin/Jonathan are one person, but we do know that there is proof that they have been in the same place at the same time.

In case you have the time, I have included a link to that episode. The clip in question is "Can't Place the Place Name."

Enjoy.

-John

BOOK OF THE MONTH DISCUSSION    
    
A Canticle for Leibowitz by Walter M. Miller Jr.

ACFL: Walter Miller Jr.

A Science-Fiction Classic Still Smolders

ADDENDUMS    
    
Our show is currently entirely funded by our patrons at patreon.com/swordandlaser 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.