S&L Podcast - #521 - The Portions Are Too Big!

swordandlaser · #521 - The Portions Are Too Big!

We revel in the Lammy Awards, follow the tale of root beer, and discuss our first, or most recent, impressions of Interview with the Vampire.

Download directly here!

WHAT ARE WE NOMMING?
Tom: Westward American Single Malt Whisky
Veronica: Jamón Ibérico??

QUICK BURNS
Any news or announcements

Chris K. & Seth: 2025 Lammy Awards were just announced and some finalists and winners are SFF:

Bisexual fiction winner: How to Fall in Love in a Time of Unnameable Disaster // Muriel Leung

Gay fiction finalist: Napalm in the Heart // Pol Guash

Transgender fiction finalists:
All Things Seen and Unseen: A Novel // RJ McDaniel
Yellow Barks Spider // Harman Burns
Trans Femme Futures: Abolitionist Ethics for Transfeminist Worlds // Nat Raha and Mijke van der Drift

And there's a whole category for LGBTQ+ Speculative Fiction:
Finalists:
Bury Your Gays // Chuck Tingle
Markless // C.G. Malburi
The Sunforge // Sascha Stronach
The Palace of Eros // Caro De Robertis

Winner:
Metal From Heaven // August Clarke
Lambda Literary 2025 Lammy Awards

Seth: Baker & Taylor Prepares Plan to Shut Down. Baker and Taylor is the book jobber many US libraries use to get books and many of those libraries are now scrambling to get with another company (there are really only 1–2 viable alternatives) for physical books. They've also been in the library ebook game, so some libraries are facing their entire electronic collection going dark.
Publishers Weekly

Tamahome: Trailer out for The Expanse: Osiris Reborn, an upcoming sci-fi action RPG developed by Owlcat Games. Players will be taken on an original story as a member of Pinkwater Security mercenary at the wrong place at the wrong time.
Watch on YouTube

BARE YOUR SWORD
Feedback from the audience

Jan:
My bare your scone:

I don't get root beer. Do some international shields feel the same? I mean, root beer tastes exactly like the mouthwash you get at the dentist (at least in Germany), so I have a problem associating that taste with something edible or fun...

And on a separate note to native speakers: what's the difference between a cake and a pie? I thought I understood the difference, but then there came cheesecake...

Phil attempts to answer:
A cake is like a big muffin and usually taller than a pie and can be any shape and sometimes has frosting. A pie has a crust and, if it's dessert, usually has a fruit or other sweet filling. A cheesecake usually has a crust on the bottom and the filling can be anywhere from fairly firm to mousse-like, depending on the type. There's also ice-cream cake.

Seth adds on:
After you mercantilist imperials over in England attempted to suck as much money out of the New World as possible, us poor colonists had to resort to getting creative when it came to brewing and borrowed (stole) some native traditions like brewing bark and roots from sassafras, sarsaparilla, and birch trees and drinking it. Sugar and carbonation were added later. The medicinal (but wonderful) taste is sort of a feature since it was often marketed as healthful.

John (Taloni) weighs in:
It's hard to describe if you've never had it. I guess... start with Ginger Ale. Then subtract most of the sweet. Add a sharp taste like tea brewed from bark or a tangy root. It goes well with ice since the slow melt cuts the sharp taste. I'm sure you could find some in the UK if you looked long enough.

Jan does his own research:
A short search seems to suggest that modern root beers use as one flavoring the same stuff that is used in Listerine and medications. And as root beer is not very common outside the US, people there associate the taste with those things, while people in the US know that flavor since childhood from root beer and don't associate the flavor per se with toothpaste, etc.

On the other hand, the tendency to use artificial cherry flavor to cover the taste in medicine in the US means Americans associate that flavor now more with medicine and dislike all the artificially cherry-flavored candy that is common elsewhere.

Stephen adds:
I am so glad A&W is available in Bangkok, Thailand. Root Beer Floats hanging by the condo pool on those incredibly hotter-than-hot summer days... heaven. My local A&W kiosk at my local mall did not survive the COVID shutdown years.

Tassie Dave:
The worst US soda I have tried was Dr. Pepper. I describe the flavor as what I imagine floor polish tastes like. 😜

Paul:
Just FYI, Nalo Hopkinson is Canadian. Just one of many excellent Canadian SFF writers, such as:
Premee Mohamed
Xiran Jay Zhao
Guy Gavriel Kay
Silvia Moreno-Garcia
William Gibson (moved here in the 60s)
Amal El-Mohtar
Fonda Lee

And many more, of course. And I know nobody asked for this list, but one of the most Canadian things a person can do is interrupt a conversation to point out that someone is Canadian. So when you were debating whether Nalo Hopkinson was Canadian or if it was like the British Fantasy Awards, my Canadar was going crazy and I wanted to yell into my podcast feed, “YES SHE'S CANADIAN!”

Stephen:
Personally, I loved The Hexologists. It has so many nice touches. The crumpet? Warren is an amateur baker. If you know one as such, you know they will gift you cookies, brownies, and all sorts of baked goods because that is what they do. Also, I used the dictionary function of my Kindle version of the tale multiple times. Always nice to expand one's VOCABULARY.

BOOK OF THE MONTH DISCUSSION

Interview With The Vampire by Anne Rice
Amazon Link
Bookshop Link

crochetchrisie📚:
Well, 95 pages at the break that's not really a break, and I think my teenage self was enamored with poor tortured Louis.

Adult me thinks omg get over it, Louis. Put on your big boy vampire pants and suck it up.

But no, the man who became a vampire after being so depressed that he wanted to die did not magically become happy.

“He couldn't bear it.”

Dude, choose better, Lestat.

And I get it, the book was the author working through her grief and I can appreciate that.

But I just want to slap Louis almost every single page. And I would love to actually remember how my teenage self felt about him.
Discord Discussion

Iain Bertram:
Reading this for the first time since the eighties, I am struck at the volume of killings that occur in this book. Each vampire is killing at least one person per night and often more. This leads to about 500 per vampire per year which, in 100 years, is a huge number. (3 vampires leads to about 150k deaths).

This is just monstrous.

I couldn’t work out how no one noticed the killing until I looked up mortality rates in New Orleans. In some years, nearly half the people who moved there died from Yellow Fever. Plagues with thousands of deaths. I still think 1500 corpses with teeth marks on the neck should have been a bit of a giveaway.

If I am being generous, the book might be an illustration of the banality of evil as Lestat, Louis, and Claudia are three of the most mediocre characters to be protagonists in a book. Dull, boring people with no redeeming features. The rich supping on the poor for their prosperity. Given the flowery language, it is a stretch though.
Discord Discussion

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.

feedback@swordandlaser.com
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goodreads.com

S&L Podcast - #520 - Alternate Batman

swordandlaser · #520 - Alternate Batman

Tom reports from the Matt Dinniman book event in LA, we kick off our Interview with the Vampire read, and share our last spoilery thoughts on The Hexologists and why we think the writing doorway is the strongest one for this book.

Download directly here!

WHAT ARE WE NOMMING?

Tom: Chicken McNuggets
Veronica: Apple cake

QUICK BURNS — add time stamp!

Any news or announcements

Tamahome: A full-scale National Novel Writing Month 2025 event will be hosted this November on FicFan. Please welcome NewNoWriMo 2025!

trpw: Jill Bearup, author of the meta-fantasy Just Stab Me Now (based on her YouTube shorts), has started a new series of shorts based on a Sci-Fi heroine. Watch here.

Jan: From Locus Mag: 2025 Sunburst Award
Nalo Hopkinson has won this year’s Sunburst Award for Excellence in Canadian Literature of the Fantastic for her novel Blackheart Man.

From Goodreads:
Veycosi, a scholar of folklore, is put in charge of the situation when conquerors appear on the magical island of Cynchin to force a trade agreement, but quickly finds himself in way over his head.

Bad turns to worse when malign forces start stirring. Pickens (children) are disappearing, and an ancient invading army, long frozen into piche (tar) statues by island witches, is stirring to life—led by the fearsome demon known as the Blackheart Man.

Read more at Locus Mag.

Trike: Crowdfunding for the graphic novel expansion of Dungeon Crawler Carl begins October 1st on Backerkit.

Written by Matt Dinniman and Michael Moreci (for V: pronounced like “Morrissey”), it’s canon.

The Dungeon Crawler Carl Universe is expanding!

Direct from the spectacular minds of series creator Matt Dinniman, writer Michael Moreci, and artist Brett Bean comes an explosive, brand-new, and 100% canon expansion to the DCC universe!

Featuring a fistful of your favorite characters (and some brand-new friends, enemies, and exceptionally concerning weapons), you’ll see the opening of the World Dungeon like you’ve never seen it before—from a new character’s perspective.

Support on Backerkit.

From the Monday conversation with Felicia and Matt Dinniman:

• His Excel sheet is 208 pages long and has a second sheet to keep track of what’s in that one

• Book 8: two floors. Book 9: one floor. The rest in Book 10

• Book 8 is Mario Kart-ish

• Book 9 is violent Stardew Valley with gods

• Matt used to write Transformers and GI Joe fan fiction as a kid

• He has a map of the Iron Tangle he made in the HTC Vive

I have a signed copy of Book 7 to give away that comes with a DCC bookmark and Princess Donut temporary tattoo. They encouraged us to do very short inscriptions, so I chose:
“New Achievement for Sword and Laser.”

BARE YOUR SWORD

Feedback from the audience

Ruth: On the question of books featuring married couples with healthy sex lives, I thought of the central couple from previous S&L pick The Calculating Stars by Mary Robinette Kowal, who regularly have “rocket launches.” 🚀

Tamahome:
I hope they didn’t have too many “Apollo 13” mishaps.

Trike:
“We got a wicked shimmy!”

BOOK OF THE MONTH DISCUSSION

Kick Off
Interview With The Vampire by Anne Rice — Amazon link | Bookshop link

Wrap Up!
Hexologists by Josiah Bancroft — Amazon link | Bookshop link

trpw:
In the novel, there is a “Crumpet” paragraph, where we are told that our lead male character presents his mother-in-law with a single crumpet, wrapped up with a nice bow.

• Crumpets have a flat top with many small cylindrical holes and a spongy texture.

• They are made from a batter (not a dough) and cooked on a griddle like a thick pancake.

• They are not eaten right after cooking but are generally toasted to crisp and/or brown the flat surfaces.

• While still hot, their top surfaces are generally spread with butter, which melts into the holes.

• They should be eaten while still warm.

Learn more about crumpets.

The presented crumpet can’t be a toasted or buttered crumpet (too messy and not likely still warm). Also, my local cheap supermarket sells crumpets in packs of 4 for about 20 pence each (about a dollar for the pack of 4).

If you want an approximate US equivalent, it is like presenting someone with an unadorned, unfilled bagel, wrapped up with a nice bow. Not a particularly good gift for a mother-in-law.

This might have taken you a while to read; it is about as long as the “Crumpet” paragraph took me out of the story. Discussion link.

On “Alternate Batman”
So this drove me crazy. Apologies for the tl;dr.

A batman is a personal military servant to a military officer. Usually, they are a Private or Non-Commissioned Officer serving a senior officer, usually at or above the rank of Captain. The military here would usually be Army.

• Lance-Corporal is the most junior Non-Commissioned Officer rank in the British Army (not sure of other armies). It is one step above a Private.

• You do not pass successfully out of a Military Academy with a Non-Commissioned Officer’s Rank, especially one only one step above Private. The whole point of Military Academies is to produce Commissioned Officers, NOT Non-Commissioned ones.

• A Batman’s job is very menial—preparing food, baths, and cleaning (lots of cleaning). It is a demeaning job, not meant for an Aristocrat.

I think the word(s) the author was looking for were either Equerry or Aide-de-Camp (ADC). That role is more like a personal assistant to a high-ranking (or royal) officer. It is not menial, works as a companion to a Prince or King, is done by a Commissioned Officer, and is more suitable for someone of Aristocratic (possibly minor royal) rank.
Discussion link.

Ricardo:
Just wanted to post some quotes that I found delightful.

“Isolde went on to explain, in explicit detail, that the marital act stimulated the mind and carried in its ecstasies epiphanies that cannot be summoned in the library or the laboratory. Sex helped her think. Their intimacies had a very different effect on Warren. He found their pairing to be akin to an emotional exorcism, as all the tangled and unsettled feelings, anxieties, and dread that had gathered in him during the course of the day were all at once blown to the ether, as undiluted serenity rushed in to fill the void..”

A very insightful (and mature) take on how a couple views sex.

“You remind me why echoes make the best houseguests: they only answer, never ask.”

“Fortunes are mostly made thanks to a surfeit of luck and a paucity of morals. Tenacity, talent, and principles are all common enough; it’s avarice that’s scarce.””

And I’m a sucker for mortals talking to eternal beings on the meaning of life:

“Is it satisfying, knowing all the secrets of the world? Is it enough? Are you content, or does the ever-swelling bubble of reality make fulfillment impossible? ... Do we need mysteries to survive?”
Discussion link.

Bill:
I raced to finish the last half, so I obviously enjoyed it. Oddly enough, I’m fixated on what I didn’t like.

• The pacing feels off. The last 10% races through tying everything up.

• Bancroft’s use of language is notable—lots of “dollar words.” (I kind of like this 🤭)

• I love Iz being hyper-focused, blunt, unpleasant, but also loving with War. Their relationship is a highlight.

• The magic system is different enough to be interesting.

• And the sequel comes out next week!
  Discussion link.

Seth:
I started pretty late this month, but finally wound things up. It was perfectly pleasant to read, but not much more.

• Setting: Fine, but very British. Maybe it should just have been British? A secondary world is fine, but I wondered if real-world historical weirdness would have been more effective.

• Characters: Both main characters were great, if not terribly deep. Quippy and quick-witted, but very modern in their outlook.

• Plot: With so few characters, by the end you know everyone must be involved—there’s basically a plot twist for each of them.
  Goodreads discussion.

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.

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.

S&L Podcast - #519 - No Stomach for Old Salad

swordandlaser · #519 - No Stomach for Old Salad

Veronica entertains suggestions for spooky October picks, and likes them all. How can she choose? And our non-spoilery thoughts on The Hexologists.

Download directly here!

WHAT ARE WE NOMMING?
Tom: Whitefish Tacos
Veronica: Old Salad

QUICK BURNS

Aaron: I don’t recall this release being discussed on the show and, as it happens, one of my favorite local shops is hosting Martha Wells for the launch of her upcoming fantasy title, Queen Demon in October. I feel like this and the first book in the series, Witch King, are a bit eclipsed by the Murderbot series, but are definitely worthy of some additional attention.
Iron Dog Books Event

BARE YOUR SWORD

Ruth: I have a suggestion for a potential October pick: Graveyard Shift by M.L. Rio. It’s a spooky (and seasonal, it’s explicitly set in October) novella about a group of misfits who encounter a mysterious freshly dug grave in an old churchyard and unravel the mystery over the course of a single night. Without giving anything away, there is some science-y stuff going on, so it’s a bit science fiction as well as suitably spooky.

Tamahone: Solaris by Stanislaw Lem is considered spooky.

John (Taloni): I have mad love for Chuck Tingle’s Bury Your Gays, which absolutely deserves all the awards it’s getting. That is plenty spooky, but might be a better pick for Pride month. And I know Our Hosts like to mull over picks, so next June would provide time to think it over. For October I’ll be rereading A Night in the Lonesome October and probably whatever T & V pick.

Robert: As far as suggestions for an October pick that is not too scary but still hits a spooky vibe, I do have a few:

• Something Wicked This Way Comes by Ray Bradbury

• In the same sort of nostalgic small-town feel, there’s also Boy’s Life by Robert McCammon

• Another Robert McCammon book with a very interesting take on the werewolf legend has said werewolf as a secret British agent fighting Nazis in The Wolf’s Hour

• For some great vampire fiction we have Fevre Dream by George R. R. Martin and Lost Souls by Poppy Z. Brite, Fledgling by Octavia E. Butler, and of course Anne Rice’s Interview with the Vampire

• On lighter notes, Grady Hendrix has several horror-comedy novels.

Mark: For October, we could scratch the spoopy itch and the Miéville effect in one swell foop with Into the Drowning Deep by Mira Grant (aka Seanan McGuire).

Jan: How about The Once and Future Witches? I am told it has cozy horror vibes…

Jan: As we haven’t done any ChatGPT stuff lately, here’s what it gave me when I asked for an ultra-violent cozy fantasy scene:

Mist still clung to the cobbled lane when the bandit stepped from the shadows, dagger glinting. He opened his mouth — but before the words came, the little grandmother with the wicker basket of herbs whipped her knitting needle straight into his eye.

It was quick, efficient. A crunch, a startled scream, then a gurgle as he collapsed like a sack of flour. She tsked, pulling the needle free and wiping it neatly on her apron.

“Terribly sorry, young man,” she murmured, as though the twitching corpse could still hear. “But I’ve no patience for ruffians before breakfast.”

I don’t know, but that’s probably more a cheap Pratchett knockoff, I feel…

BOOK OF THE MONTH DISCUSSION

Hexologists by Josiah Bancroft
Amazon | Bookshop

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 & Laser.

S&L Podcast - #518 - Hugo Bump Yourself

We talk about our thoughts on the Hugo Award winners and the Dragon Award winner and devise a fiendish plan to win a Hugo. Also, Tom buys a ticket to see Matt Dinniman while doing the show.

Download directly here!

WHAT ARE WE NOMMING?

Tom: Pork and Noodles
Veronica: Fresh garden tomatoes!

QUICK BURNS

Any news or announcements

Iain: The Hugos have been announced

Hugo Winners announced.

The winners are:

BEST NOVEL
The Tainted Cup by Robert Jackson Bennett (Del Rey, Hodderscape UK)

BEST NOVELLA
The Tusks of Extinction by Ray Nayler (Tordotcom)

BEST NOVELETTE
“The Four Sisters Overlooking the Sea” by Naomi Kritzer (Asimov’s, September/October 2024)

BEST SHORT STORY
“Stitched to Skin Like Family Is” by Nghi Vo (Uncanny Magazine, Issue 57)

BEST SERIES
Between Earth and Sky by Rebecca Roanhorse (Saga Press)

And then Mark chimed in: Wait! The most astounding Hugo is the one for best graphic novel by Ryan North and Chris Fenoglio…

LOWER DECKS! LOWER DECKS! LOWER DECKS!

Mark also pointed out:
We read City of Stairs by Robert Jackson Bennett.
We read Trail of Lightning by Rebecca Roanhorse.
We read The Empress of Salt and Fortune by Nghi Vo.

The Lodestar Award for Best Young Adult Book was awarded to Darcie Little Badger for Sheine Lende, a prequel to a book we read, Elatsoe.

Paul: Attention Martha Wells fans / Murderbot fans or people curious about what the fuss is all about:
Martha Wells has a HumbleBundle fundraiser going for the World Central Kitchen. You can get All Systems Red for $1, the first three novellas for $10, or 14 titles including The Witch King and some of her pre-Murderbot fantasies for $19 or so.

That’s a pretty amazing deal, so I bought the set even though I’ve read 3 of the 14 books already. Plus, considering the man-made famine going on (not to mention the genocide), I couldn’t think of a better cause. Martha Wells rules!
You can also donate extra and/or reallocate more of your money to go to the charity, for those interested.

(Warning: I don’t actually know if my dollar values are accurate, because my values are in Canadian dollars, but for me it’s 14 titles for $24.83.)

Seth: It’s Fourth Wing night at Fenway Park. (written September 3)

Rebecca Yarros will throw out the first pitch at a Red Sox game tonight! Sorry to all those in the Boston area, it’s already sold out. Besides the game, other fantasy features include cosplay, themed concessions and giveaways (including a “flight jacket” that looks pretty cool).

News reports indicate it’s the largest promotion ever at Fenway Park and that more than half of tickets purchased for the event come from people who have never bought a baseball ticket before.

Calvey: Join us on Monday, September 22nd at 6:30 pm as we welcome Matt Dinniman to the Wilshire Ebell Theater to discuss and sign This Inevitable Ruin. Joining him in conversation will be Felicia Day.
(4401 West 8th Street, Los Angeles, CA 90005, Wilshire Ebell Theatre)

THIS IS A TICKETED OFF-SITE EVENT. A copy of This Inevitable Ruin must be purchased from DIESEL to be granted entry to the event. There are 3 ticket options for this event. Please look carefully at all of the options before purchasing.

jasonb: For those of us in NC next month, John Scalzi will be here signing his new book Shattering Peace! Guess where I’m going to be Saturday, September 27. If any Sword and Shielders are in the area – cocktails later that evening, IM me!

Mark: Coming May 2026… the eighth installment of the Murderbot Diaries, Platform Decay by Martha Wells.

CountZeroOr: The novel adaptations of the first season of Robotech (the Macross Saga) are getting an unabridged audiobook release.

As a quick reminder for those unfamiliar – Robotech was a fix-up of three anime series: Super Dimensional Fortress Macross, Dimensional Cavalry Southern Cross, and Genesis Climber Mospeda. The three series had a general common thread of “Vehicles that transform into Mecha (generally designed by Shoji Kawamori)” and (in the case of the first and third series) “Major characters who were pop singers,” but little else. For their US releases as part of Robotech, they had some adjustments (Macross, Mospeda) to full rewrites (Southern Cross) done by the producer of Robotech, Carl Macek, to get them to fit together, and at a combined length that could be sold to local stations for syndication.

These novels were created to adapt the series for English-speaking audiences at a time when home video releases for television generally were not yet a thing. The novels had been out of print for years, and even when they were in print, they hadn’t received an audiobook release.

Mark: 2025 Dragon Awards Winners:

Best Science Fiction Novel
This Inevitable Ruin by Matt Dinniman

Best Fantasy Novel (Including Paranormal)
The Devils by Joe Abercrombie

Best Young Adult / Middle Grade Novel
Sunrise of the Reaping by Suzanne Collins

Best Alternate History Novel
The Martian Contingency by Mary Robinette Kowal

Best Horror Novel
Bury Your Gays by Chuck Tingle

BARE YOUR SWORD

Silvana: Another GR group did a Q&A with Shelley a few years back and she/they confirmed that the fantasy bit was added later.

Ruth: Interesting! Do you have a link to the discussion you could share or was it private?

Silvana: It’s public but maybe you need to become a member of the group to read the posts? Here’s the link: Goodreads interview

Ruth: Silvana, very interesting interview, I would recommend other Shields to check it out (although you do need to join the group first).
Also you are far too modest – “Another GR group did a Q&A” it was YOU who did the interview! And it’s a really good interview – well done!

Silvana: Aww thanks Ruth, hope it’s useful.

John (Nevets): That really is awesome @silvana. That had to be a very cool experience, and possibly a bit nerve-wracking as well.

By the way, while there were many reasons I wanted to attend Worldcon this year, your experience in attending a few years ago was definitely one of the influences. And I’m so glad I did, I had a great time and got to meet up with some other Shields.

BOOK OF THE MONTH DISCUSSION

Book Kickoff
Hexologists by Josiah Bancroft (Amazon)
Bookshop link

Book Wrap Up
She Who Became the Sun by Shelley Parker-Chan (Amazon)
Bookshop link

terpkristin: I really appreciated Tom telling the actual history that forms She Who Became the Sun. I wonder if it’s more historical fiction with magical realism or fantasy elements (not that I think it’s not a 100% good and valid S&L pick). But I wonder if people thought of more of it as historical fiction of real things if it would be easier for some to get into.

stephen: I finished the book and truly enjoyed it. The flow of the book was pitch perfect. I had a few long Skytrain trips to the Big Bad Wolf Book Fair where I found a graphic novel series based on Chinese history translated into Thai with 25 volumes. I was looking for something like this to help me in my goal of reading Thai quicker than I presently do.

SeréTW: Well how did you feel about the selection? What surprised you? Do you intend to continue the duology?
I’m still gathering my thoughts about the way the main character developed. While I wasn’t surprised at the fate of the Prince of Radiance, it was so heartbreaking that I don’t know if I want to continue the duology. I may change my mind about that and I’m really interested to hear other people’s take on the reimagining of this period of time in China’s history.

What surprised me was the introduction to the concept/euphemism of the business of rain and clouds (or clouds and rain). I went on quite the side quest trying to get the cultural significance that I was sure I was missing out on. It was giving me Demolition Man, The 3 Shells vibes.

CountZeroOr:
I finished the book, and I enjoyed it for most of it, except for everything related to the politics of the Mongol Court. It had a real “We only pay the Iron Price” vibe that frustrated me, as that’s something that didn’t work for me in Game of Thrones (and actively threw me from those books), and didn’t work here, as all the cultures are based on real world cultures – made worse by, well, having watched the Crash Course on the Mongols.

Crash Course on the Mongols (YouTube)

After thinking about it while reading, I came to the realization that part of my discomfort was because a real world culture was being depicted as one of the big archetypes for Orcs, and if someone wrote Orcs like that now, there would be Asian audiences that would be legitimately upset.

My next thought was maybe I’m supposed to be uncomfortable – this is playing off of genre conventions to comment on them and get the reader to rethink those stereotypes – except it didn’t do anything with them, it just played them straight. When I reached the end of the book, and the afterword mentioned influences from Wuxia novels and wanting to write something in that style, I had to stop and think: “Is this just playing a genre convention of Wuxia fiction, either past or present, straight? Perhaps perpetuating an internal, likely unexamined racial prejudice of those authors (and the historians they were referencing) that the author was perpetuating because they were more interested in sticking with genre conventions than examining potentially toxic tropes that could date back to the turn of the 20th century?”

In short, I found myself in a position where I didn’t want to move on to the next book because I found myself needing to know where this unexamined prejudice came from – the genre itself, official histories (that likely would have been written after the Mongols and were meant to depict them badly), existing cultural prejudices, or something added by the author based on their own internalized, likely unexamined (and not necessarily malicious, depending on the circumstances) bias about the history of Mongolian culture.

Iain Bertram:
I have just finished.

It is definitely SFF. The fantastic element is subtle and woven through real history but is there at all times.

It’s not often we get such an amoral protagonist. That first, brutal chapter is some of the most evocative writing about starvation and poverty I have ever read. That is the foundation that supports the development of the main character.

ScottM:
I wanted to start a topic because I was surprised that the novel actually included sex-favorable asexual representation. Ace representation itself isn’t especially common, but when it is included, it tends to be on the sex averse/repulsed side. My youngest falls firmly in that part of the ace/aro spectrum wheel and they describe it as the most important part of her queer identity. (Though as the first label they ever embraced, “bi” also holds a special place.)

But when I read this line in particular from Zhu’s perspective, I was stopped in my tracks:
“Desire, but another’s desire running through her body, until she was as breathless as if it’s been her own.”

I had to search for interviews and discussions with the author to see if I was reading too much into that larger section or if that was what they had intended. And it was exactly what they had meant. Long before I had any label for it, it’s an experience I remember trying to describe on numerous occasions to different people.

I also found the exploration of gender both through Zhu and Ouyang very interesting and in a manner that felt like it fit the setting, context, and culture. Given my own relationship with gender is … complicated, that was a compelling part of the storyline for me.

And the romantic tension between both the main perspectives and their complicated partner – Ouyang with Esen and Zhu with Ma – was well developed. I’m intrigued to see how Ma’s path plays out in the next novel.

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.

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

S&L Podcast - #517 - She Who Became Herstory

swordandlaser · #517 - She Who Became Herstory

We get a history listen and revisit accents. And the clean blade battle is confirmed for WorldCon 2029. Plus our non-spoilery first impressions of She Who Became the Sun.

Download directly here!

WHAT ARE WE NOMMING?
Tom: Miso soup, egg and rice
Veronica: About to make some jalapeño jam

QUICK BURNS

specious_reasons
Less than one week to WorldCon!

Thursday, August 14th, 1:30 PM to 3:00 PM

WorldCon 2025 in Seattle, Ravenna Rooms, Sheraton
Sword & Laser WorldCon 2025 Meetup!
The Seattle and Tacoma local meetups are joining up to meet each other and other Shields attending WorldCon in Seattle. We have a private event in the Ravenna Rooms at the Sheraton on Thursday, 1:30–

Chris K. and John Taloni
Dragon Con has announced the ballot for the 2025 Dragon Awards.
And Dungeon Crawler Carl is on the list for Best SF Novel with This Inevitable Ruin! It's free to vote, so... whistles Oh yeh, and The Devils is in Best Fantasy. The S&L Effect continues!

Best Science Fiction Novel

• Nether Station, Kevin J. Anderson (Blackstone)

• The Folded Sky, Elizabeth Bear (Saga)

• Alliance Unbound, C.J. Cherryh & Jane S. Fancher (DAW)

• The Mercy of Gods, James S.A. Corey (Orbit)

• This Inevitable Ruin, Matt Dinniman (Ace)

• Extremophile, Ian Green (Head of Zeus)

• Absolution, Jeff VanderMeer (Picador)

Best Fantasy Novel

• The Devils, Joe Abercrombie (Tor)

• Long Live Evil, Sarah Rees Brennan (Orbit)

• Heart of the Mountain, Larry Correia (Baen)

• The Last Shield, Cameron Johnston (Angry Robot)

• Shadow of the Smoking Mountain, Howard Andrew Jones (Baen)

• The Black Bird Oracle, Deborah Harkness (Ballantine)

2025 Dragon Awards Ballot

BARE YOUR SWORD

Ruth:
Well, I think we’ve agreed that Veronica and I will meet at WorldCon in Dublin in 2029, she’ll buy me a drink, and then we’ll fight to the death.
Gives me four years to learn the blade…

Ruth (tilltab) Ashworth

I will judge the winner, naturally!

As in, “This one looks the deadest. This one is only mostly dead.”

Stephen:
I loved The Devils, but I am a big Joe Abercrombie fan. I read The Devils when it first came out and I re-read it again because I enjoyed it so much. It has so many nice touches.

CountZeroOr:
I've been looking up some stuff for Star Wars: Shadows of the Empire for a personal project, and ended up finding some of the commercials that aired on TV for the novel on YouTube, which reminded me of the fact that I remember seeing commercials for some of the Dark Tower novels on TV at the time as well – anyone else remember this era of the 90s when novels would get TV ads?
Shadows of the Empire TV Commercial

BOOK OF THE MONTH DISCUSSION

August Book Check-In
She Who Became the Sun by Shelley Parker-Chan – Amazon
She Who Became the Sun – Bookshop

John Taloni:
Posting as I go, now at the 10% mark.
MAN this book starts hard! For peeps further on, does it get any... lighter?

Bill:
Lighter? Not really. In a different way? Yes.

Steve:
On the other hand, I found myself struggling with this book, though I suspect much of that was due to experiencing it as an audiobook. As someone unfamiliar with the pronunciation of Chinese names and terms, I quickly became disoriented – unsure of who was who or where the story was taking place. This confusion made it hard to connect with the characters, many of whom I found difficult to empathize with, or simply unlikeable.

That said, I don’t mean this as a criticism of the book itself, but rather a word of caution: some readers may have a smoother experience with the print version than the audio.
Goodreads Discussion Thread

Katie asked on Goodreads about any readable histories to make her more familiar with the era in the book. And Stephen responded with:
For $4.99 you can get Beginner’s Guide to the Ming Dynasty: A Clear and Engaging Introduction to Imperial China’s Most Powerful Era: Explore the Rise, Glory, and Fall of ... Readers. It is 80 pages so it is a drive-by but should give you the highlights.
Ming Dynasty – Wikipedia

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

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

S&L Podcast - #516 - I Know What You Did Last Book Briefing

swordandlaser · #516 - I Know What You Did Last Book Briefing

Why taste in books is like taste in food. Plus, our final thoughts on Joe Abercrombie's The Devils. And the Ruth-Veronica feud heats up. Also, Tom likes fish sticks. Literally.

Download directly here!

WHAT ARE WE NOMMING?
Tom: Fish sticks and leftover mac and cheese
Veronica: Sad Mediterranean

QUICK BURNS
Mark: A dramatized audio adaptation of Joe Lansdale's 1994 classic tale, Bubba Ho-Tep, is coming this August.

Elvis is spending his golden years at the Mud Creek Shady Grove Convalescence Home alongside a man claiming to be President John F. Kennedy. Strange sights and sounds lead the two to discover an ancient Egyptian mummy stalking the corridors of their retirement home. They soon face off against the monster...but will anyone believe their story or shrug it off as more tall tales?" — Bubba Ho-Tep

Tamahome: More awards. The winner has time travel and a mysterious realm.

Tamahome: New cover reveal of an upcoming Alastair Reynolds noir sci-fi on October 30th. I don’t think the detective’ll be carrying a whiphound.

Jan and CountZeroOr: The Dungeon Crawler Carl Webtoon has been released. The first three episodes can be read for free on webtoons if you are interested in seeing a (strangely young-looking) anime-style Carl enter the Dungeon — Dungeon Crawler Carl Webtoon

specious_reasons: has posted details of the WorldCon 2025 meetup in the WorldCon thread:

Sword & Laser WorldCon 2025 Meetup!
The Seattle and Tacoma local meetups are joining up to meet each other and other Shields attending WorldCon in Seattle. We have a private event in the Ravenna Rooms at the Sheraton on Thursday 1:30-3:00 PM. If you are in town, please join us!
Refreshments will be provided! We'll have ribbons! I'm actually very excited!

...and I created an event on Discord, too"

Seth: Not quite news, but cute and timely. Alexander Skarsgard tells an interviewer he ruined a few takes of the Murderbot finale because he kept breaking into tears. Happily, the show was renewed for Season 2, so we'll get more Murderbot and Alexander gets to hang out with the rest of the cast for another year (and, hopefully, we get to meet ART).

Note, this spoils the end of the last episode / the end of the first novella" — Murderbot finale item

BARE YOUR SWORD

Ruth: “Try to apologise to Ruth”?! But Veronica says she stands by what she said before! Talk about a nonpology.

FYI I have now finished watching the last few episodes of Murderbot with my husband and we both enjoyed it very much. I do however re-assert my right to watch whatever televisual entertainments I choose, in the company I choose.

If Veronica wants to make amends for her relentless Ruth-bashing, she can promise to buy me a drink as and when we’re ever in a bar together - possibly at WorldCon in Dublin in 2029

Alternatively, taking inspiration from previous Sword and Laser pick Jade City:

Veronica Belmont, I offer you a clean blade!

Scott: It was my first time joining a live recording that was mostly focused on a book I actively disliked. As was true all the years I just listened to the podcast after it was released, it was still a fun experience. The podcast is enjoyable whether or not you even read the book at all. Certainly there have been plenty of books over the years I didn't read. In fact, if I read a book club pick in the past, it was usually well after the podcast. (Or I had read it before it was a pick.)

I think it's pretty noteworthy that Tom & Veronica create a book club podcast that's always fun, engaging, and interesting whether a listener reads a particular book or not."
Terpkristin: I a bazillion % agree that even when I'm kind of ambivalent on the book, I LOVE the show and am totally engaged. I'm looking forward to the wrap-up episode, at which point I may decide to fully abandon the book. For now, it's cooling its heels in my queue while I read other things.

Anon: Apropos Ruth Bashing: I need advice from Veronica for a purely theoretic scenario: let's assume the girlfriend of someone named ... Uhmm ... Yann suggested watching Gilmore Girls and I ... I mean Yann .... Said yes but failed to tell her he has binged the whole series already two times. Is it too late to confess to her by season 4?!

BOOK OF THE MONTH DISCUSSION

August Book Kickoff
She Who Became the Sun by Shelley Parker-Chan.
Bookshop link

Last Thoughts
The Devils by Joe Abercrombie
– Bookshop link

Compared to the other books like First Law

Dreading the end?

Bill

Well, I enjoyed that. Definitely gives me Suicide Squad vibes (DC Comics and movie if you’re not familiar). Every book seems likely to me to have roster shuffling due to a death or two, and, apparently like the drummers of Spinal Tap, the frequent need to replace the priest.

I enjoyed the nuance to the characters…or as much nuance as a berserker werewolf can bring to the situation. Not sure nuance is the right word; perhaps playing with stereotypes, or giving them depth. Or, is it only the semblance of depth?

The final “cousin” surprised me in not being a psychopath like his brothers. I slept on the final twist re: Eudoxia but liked the future paths that opens up.

SeréTW
I didn't necessarily dislike it, but ultimately it was too much action for me. I felt similarly about the theatrical and extended releases of Return of The King; what do you mean another army has arrived?!? In the Devils I was like, Eudoxia really needs to stop popping out these babies. I probably won't continue with the series, as I'm not built for this extent of action.

DaveZ
I finished last night. I enjoyed the book. I will probably pick up the sequel when it comes out.

I agree that it was a lot of action and if I’m complaining it was action to action throughout the book. Most of the character development was either a function of the conflict or “off camera”. That’s not necessarily a bad thing but it did seem a bit long when it was one encounter into another one.

I enjoyed all the characters. Baptiste I felt was underutilized. In the Venice house she was the only one that didn’t have a memory hallucinations. I still liked her character but most of what she did was not the focus. I guess the issue might be too many character POVs.

Anyway. I gave it 4 stars. I find the small complaints I have remove a star.

AnijaCat
Just finished! It was a really fun read, I can’t remember the last time a book made me really laugh out loud 😁
I think this is a 3⭐️ for me. There were some great moments. But overall, the plot and characters seemed half developed. And the book seemed too long for the level of substance it offered.
But I really learned sth about how to write gore. A lot of authors make the mistake of writing suffering and gore that is over the top and way too sincere (Poppy Wars comes to mind), when it is painfully obvious that the author is an urban dweller who knows so little of physical suffering they probably complain about mosquito bites on a 5k hike 😆 Abercrombie writes theatrical gore that is totally insincere, and therefore far more authentic. The first proper fight scene was really masterful! I’ve never felt that the fight scene was my favourite part of a book before.

mantissa
This feels very much like a D&D campaign:
Vigga is a barbarian
Baptiste is a rogue
Balthazar is a sorcerer, er, magician
Jakob of Thorn is a paladin
Brother Diaz is a weak Cleric
Sunny is an elf with issues (VERY high stealth, I love how she has to hold her breath to stay stealthy)
Baron Rikard is a character with VERY high charisma (I don't know if you can be a vampire in D&D)
Alex is the MacGuffin and she is so much 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.

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

S&L Podcast - #515 - The Details in the Devils

swordandlaser · #515 - The Details in the Devils

We cast The Devils, try to apologize to Ruth, and recall other food-related romantasy. Plus, Veronica has a shameful tequila revelation.

Download directly here!

WHAT ARE WE NOMMING?
Tom: Seafood Pad Thai
Veronica: Blueberries

QUICK BURNS

Chris K and Calvey: From the World Fantasy Convention website:
World Fantasy Final Ballot 2025 (for 2024)
Novel

• The Tainted Cup by Robert Jackson Bennett (Del Rey/Hodderscape)

• The Fox Wife by Yangsze Choo (Henry Holt & Co./Quercus)

• The Bog Wife by Kay Chronister (Counterpoint Press/Titan Books)

• The Bright Sword by Lev Grossman (Viking/Del Rey)

• The Wings Upon Her Back by Samantha Mills (Tachyon Press)
  worldfantasy2025.co.uk/world-fantasy-awards-shortlists

CrochetChrisie: New Murderbot novelette, available after the season finale (this past Friday).
Read on Reactormag
Roberator: Apple has ordered a second season of Murderbot.
reactormag.com

Tamahome: New Dan Brown coming September 9th. It's called The Secret of Secrets.

hapahappiness: D Comic Conners x DCC fans: Matt Dinniman will be a panelist on Thursday, 2pm - Fantastical World Building.

From the panel description:
"History, geography, and culture are all crucial building blocks in creating some of your favorite reading experiences. Hear Falon Ballard (Something Wicked), Matt Dinniman (Dungeon Crawler Carl Series), Wendy Martin (Castle Swimmer: Volume 2), SenLin Yu (Alchemised), and Serena Valentino (Heartbroken) discuss how they use world-building to enhance the immersive nature and believability of their fantastical worlds."
comiccon2025.sched.com

Tamahome: The finalists for the annual Baen Fantasy Adventure Award were announced on July 9, 2025:

• “A Good Demon Hunter is Hard to Find”, Martina Anders

• “The Void Within”, Tyler Bourassa

• “The Teacher”, Sarah Hozumi

• “Staying Afloat”, Arthur H. Manners

• “Personal Demons”, Alex Minns

• “Gilded Dead”, April Pereira

• “A Game with Death”, Kathleen Powell

• “The Golem and The Goose”, Tony Robusto

• “Traitor to the Wolfguard’s Creed”, Gideon P. Smith

• “The Old Knight”, Jeremy Zentner
  locusmag.com

BARE YOUR SWORD

Robyn R – Speaking of the Jimmy John’s Romantasy:
Both parts are on YouTube and just as hilariously unnerving as you imagined.
Part 1
Part 2

Sean Lookielook – Jimmy John's? How soon we forget that it was KFC who jumped the shark in 2017 with their Tender Wings of Desire.
Not to mention the dating sim...
and the Lifetime movie starring Mario Lopez.
Trailer
Dating Sim
Lifetime Movie Wiki

Ruth: Wow, shamed in front of the whole world (well, that segment of it that listens to the Sword & Laser podcast) just because I couldn’t wait for the next episode of Murderbot! Tom’s spirited rendition of Jisoo’s “All Eyes On Me” is scant consolation…

Paul: Re: Ruth bashing. Veronica tried SO HARD not to Ruth-bash, but that sneaky watching was a tough pill for her to swallow and I LOVED that awkwardness.
Poor Ruth. I have also watched together-shows without my wife, because sometimes she's not in the mood to keep up with a show and I am.
I'll usually admit to it after I watched it, and volunteer to rewatch it when she's ready because I know I can't fake watching it as if for the first time 😆.

BOOK OF THE MONTH DISCUSSION
The Devils by Joe Abercrombie
Amazon
Bookshop

Hapahappiness:
I really love the iconography seen of our "devils" throughout the book. I am mostly reading The Devils on my Kindle Colorsoft and realized the icons were in black and white. A quick internet search yielded this collection of the colored versions.
I'm at 69% (nice) and look forward to going back to these images to see what imagery I missed.

It's especially good timing for me because I recently read Jeff Lemire's Minor Arcana: Vol 1: The Fool in which the story is inspired by the iconography of tarot, which feels similar or complementary to saint or religious icons.
Character Art
Discord thread

Ruth:
I'm about a third of the way through this book now and I'm thoroughly enjoying it. Love a rag-tag band of misfits and a lost heir to a magical throne. But the part I'm enjoying the most is the world-building.

I'm finding Abercrombie's alternate-magical-history version of medieval Europe much more crunchy and compelling than many fantasy worlds.

I think part of it is that there's much more of a sense of the deep involvement of religion in every aspect of life. So many fantasy books just kind of skate over religion, when in fact it was absolutely central to life in the Middle Ages and the Renaissance. The religion in The Devils is recognisably similar to Christianity, but has key differences I'm really enjoying – like the lady Pope and lady Saviour, the 'circefix' instead of the 'crucifix'.

I also really like the way he's thrown in bits of actual alternate history – like Carthage being the ancient European super-power instead of Rome and everyone speaking a version of Punic. It's a concept that's very plausible (the Carthaginians did win some famous victories over the Romans – just ask your nearest Rome-nerd about the Battle of Cannae) even if the witch-engineers of Carthage aren't real (shame!).

The ways the Elves are kind of taking the place of the Islamic conquerors of the Middle East is intriguing, and I'm looking forward to seeing more as the characters travel Eastwards.

This book is a chonker so it's hard to carry my library hardback copy around but I'm getting through it pretty quickly and hope to join the discussion about the ending before the end of the month!

What do you all think of the alternate-history setting?
Goodreads Thread

Casting!
Goodreads Thread

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

📬 feedback@swordandlaser.com
🌐 swordandlaser.com
📱 Instagram, X, and Mastodon: @swordandlaser
📚 goodreads.com

S&L Podcast - #514 - The Rebirths of Wesley Chu

swordandlaser · #514 - The Rebirths of Wesley Chu

Wesley Chu joins us to talk about The Lives of Tao and Jan is back, so we have loads of news including Locus Award Winners and the British Fantasy Society shortlist. Plus Tom sings. We're all sorry about that. Also, we almost named this episode The Lives of Wesley Chu until we realized we had already done that in 2014.

Download directly here!

WHAT ARE WE NOMMING?
Tom: Spinach Ravioli
Veronica: Straight and Narrow, the gross Black Currant flavor

QUICK BURNS

Jan: Blinks Well, damn, I finished The Inevitable Ruin — seems I am out of the Dungeon. sigh
On the other hand, this means I can start posting Quick Burns again! SO...

It seems our Romantasy Overlady is continuing to conquer the world: Or as The Hollywood Reporter puts it: Sarah J. Maas has signed a worldwide deal with IMG Licensing for "apparel, beauty, lifestyle, home décor, wine and spirits, food and beverage, toys and games, collectibles, cosplay, and immersive fan experiences" for her entire fictional universe. But this notably excludes film and TV rights.

Jan and The Lives of JasonReads:
The 2025 Locus Awards Winners have been announced!

Winner for SCIENCE FICTION NOVEL: The Man Who Saw Seconds, Alexander Boldizar
FANTASY NOVEL: A Sorceress Comes to Call, T. Kingfisher
DEBUT NOVEL: Someone You Can Build a Nest In, John Wiswell

Jan: Locus Mag reports:
The British Fantasy Society has announced the shortlist for the 2025 British Fantasy Awards:

Nominations for Best Fantasy Novel:

• Long Live Evil by Sarah Rees Brennan

• Fathomfolk by Eliza Chan

• A Shadow Over Haven by David Green

• The Green Man’s War by Juliet E. McKenna

• Masquerade by O.O. Sangoyomi

Jan: There is a trailer for Momo – the new English-language movie adaptation of the hugely successful children’s fantasy novel by German author Michael Ende (The Neverending Story) about a little girl living in an amphitheater, fighting with the help of a turtle and the power of friendship against the Grey Men – who literally steal time from all adults around her (in this adaptation, by distributing some sleek technological gadget that all the adults are linked to – which is definitely NOT a very heavy-handed metaphor...)
Watch the trailer — release date in Germany is October this year. No international release dates announced yet.

Jan: Two Romantasy novels are coming this July on the same day that are both reworks of successful Dramione fanfics:

• The Irresistible Urge to Fall for Your Enemy by Brigette Knightly

• Rose in Chains by Julie Soto
  Read about the fanfic-to-publishing trend

Jan: From LocusMag and The Guardian:
Annie Bot by Sierra Greer has won the Arthur C. Clarke Award 2025 for best science fiction novel first published in the UK in the past year.
The Guardian describes Annie Bot as an "‘Intense’ novel about [a] robot abused by her boyfriend."

Jan: Amazon MGM released the first trailer for Project Hail Mary, starring Ryan Gosling and based on the novel by Andy Weir.
US release date: March 20, 2026.

Trike: The home of Alfred Bester, winner of the first Hugo Award for The Demolished Man, is for sale. His wife Rolly, by the way, was the first actress to portray Lois Lane on the 1940 Superman radio show.

Seth: Romantasy is such a cultural force that Jimmy John’s created a miniature romantasy audiobook read by Walton Goggins. It's part of their "S.M.U.T." summer menu promotion and available to Freaky Fast Rewards members through July 6.

Mark: The Faith of Beasts, the next book in the Captive's War series by James S.A. Corey, has a release date of April 2026.

BARE YOUR SWORD

Seth: I got nervous when I saw the episode title — I share the last name Warburton with Patrick (sadly, no relation). Glad I didn’t do anything to cause the name drop!
Also: Please use company funds to watch Murderbot. It’s excellent.

Ruth: Disappointed by Tom’s weak rendition of Jisoo’s “All Eyes On Me.” I expect full Korean lyrics next time. Also, Murderbot is great! I’ve been secretly watching ahead of my husband.

Tassie Dave: Yes to S&L funds bypassing the Patriarchy 😜 and supporting Murderbot! 😊

Stephen: I wish Murderbot episodes were an hour long. Half-hour dramas just feel incomplete to me.

John (Taloni): Kurt Vonnegut once shared a quote from an archaeologist:
"I don’t think being good at things is the point of doing them. I think you’ve got all these wonderful experiences with different skills, and that all teaches you things and makes you an interesting person, no matter how well you do them.”

Jan: Clarification from a past episode: The bonus chapters in the Dungeon Crawler Carl hardcovers are not the same as the extras in the audiobooks. They’re part of a standalone novella called Backstage at the Pineapple Cabaret.

BOOK OF THE MONTH DISCUSSION

Kick Off:
The Devils by Joe Abercrombie

• Bookshop link

Wrap Up:
The Lives of Tao by Wesley Chu

• Bookshop link

Questions for Wesley Chu:
See the full Goodreads thread

Seth: How does Mr. Chu feel about his debut now? Would he revise it, or is it in the past?

Trike: Did City of Heroes inspire the Prophus and Genjix dynamic?

Mark: Any other sci-fi/fantasy/horror franchises you’d love to write for?

Veronica: Were there other Lives of Tao that didn’t make the final book?

• How did you decide which historical events to reference?

• How did you come up with Genjix and Prophus names?

• The alien possession angle is fascinating — what inspired that structure?

ADDENDUMS

Our show is funded entirely by our patrons. Thank you!
Support us on Patreon

You can also support us by buying books through our links.
Find them at swordandlaser.com

S&L Podcast - #513 - A Civil War-burton

swordandlaser · #513 - A Civil War-burton

Everything is out of context. But we do have interesting thoughts about The Lives of Tao and lots of congrats for the winners and nominees of the Nebulas and more.

Download directly here!

WHAT ARE WE NOMMING?

Tom: Garlic Shrimp and Tortellini
Veronica: Watermelon cooler

QUICK BURNS

The Lives of JasonReads and Geoff: 2025 Nebula Award winners have been announced:

• Someone You Can Build a Nest In by Jon Wiswell wins Best Novel.

• The Dragonfly Gambit by A.D. Sui wins Best Novella

• "Negative Scholarship on the Fifth State of Being" by A.W. Prihandita scored Novelette

• And the Short Story award went to "Why Don’t We Just Kill the Kid in the Omelas Hole" by Isabel J. Kim
  2025 Nebula Award Winners

Seth and Tamahome:
Goodreads shares their most-read books of 2025 so far, broken down by category.
Most-Read Books of 2025

Trike:
Foundation Season 3, Apple+, July 11
The Mule has entered the chat. Dun dun dun. iykyk
Foundation S3 Trailer

Trike:
The finalists for the 2025 Ignyte Awards have been announced. The public can vote for their choices until August 15.
Ignyte Awards Info

Scott:
Storyteller, a Tanith Lee tribute anthology, is scheduled for release on July 1. It has quite a list of contributors.
Storyteller Anthology on Bookshop

ScottM:
The 2025 Ursula K. Le Guin Prize for Fiction shortlist has been announced.
Le Guin Prize Shortlist

CountZeroOr:
Seven Seas Entertainment has announced that their English translation of the first Record of Lodoss War novel, The Grey Witch, will be getting an audiobook release.
Record of Lodoss War Audiobook

BARE YOUR SWORD

Tamahome: Joe Abercrombie (adapting Bruce Sterling), Tamsyn Muir, and John Scalzi wrote some of the teleplays in Love Death + Robots Season 4.

Francis X: Just to let you know about the Amazon Prime Video animated series Murder Drones, and a reboot of The Librarian called Chapter 2 airing on TNT cable.

Ruth: I’m slightly amused that, shortly after I resolved to be more positive in my comments on the monthly book picks, we get a pick that I really enjoyed but that Tom and Veronica both thought was pretty mid. Oh well!
On a totally different topic, Tom will probably be pleased to hear that I’ve recently been getting into K-pop and I too thought of the Jisoo song when I heard “All Eyes On Me”.

John (Taloni): At about the 5:30 mark, Tom says "dark and spooky." That was my daughter's favorite phrase for any room less than fully lit when she was about eight: "It's dark and spooky!" she turns and runs off

BOOK OF THE MONTH DISCUSSION

The Lives of Tao by Wesley Chu
Amazon
Bookshop

Wesley plans to join us for the July 2 episode!

Discussion Questions:

• How Plausible is the Cover-Up?
  Is it believable that this war has stayed hidden for millennia? What modern elements (e.g., social media, surveillance) make this harder?

• Dream Casting
  Who would you cast in a film adaptation? (Roen, Tao, Sonya, etc.)

• If You Had a Tao
  What kind of ancient alien mentor would you want in your head? What kind of advice would they give you?

• Quasing Among Us
  If Quasing were real, what historical figures do you think were definitely hosts?

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.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

📧 feedback@swordandlaser.com
🌐 swordandlaser.com
📸/🐦/🐘 @swordandlaser
📚 goodreads.com

S&L Podcast - #512 - Deep Dish is SciPie

swordandlaser · #512 - Deep Dish is SciPie

We speculate on how James Cameron will make The Devils and whether Frankenstein will be too scary for Veronica. And we further kick off The Lives of Tao.

Download directly here!

WHAT ARE WE NOMMING?
Tom: Orange Muffin
Veronica: PIZZAAAAA and ice cream

QUICK BURNS – add time stamp!
Trike: Frankenstein, Netflix, November
Guillermo del Toro is going for it. Looks gorgeous and scary. Watch clip

Liqorice: Filmmaker James Cameron (yes, that James Cameron, director of Aliens, Terminator and a couple of small indie films like Titanic and Avatar) is teaming up with author Joe Abercrombie to work on his latest book, The Devils. It’s a case of Blue Man Group meets grimdark fantasy. Can’t wait. Read more

BARE YOUR SWORD – add time stamp!
Ruth: I have to say, for me Mickey 7 didn’t feel like a one-off book that then had a sequel tacked onto it. For me, the ending felt like a suitable pause rather than a full conclusion, and the sequel felt like a conclusion to a duology.

Trike: I sampled some of the AI narration and currently it’s bad. But next year it will be on par with humans.
A recent estimate said AI will replace 10 million jobs in the next 3–5 years. That’s a lot and soon. AI could definitely do 80 % of my job at the TV station. Robots would be needed for the other 20 %. If the system powered up and down by itself and we switched from wireless mics to wired ones, AI could do 95 % of my job.
The recent Chinese robots I saw on YouTube last week are dangerously close to being able to do everything a person can. Fortunately we’re still years away from them being smart enough to do anything other than preprogrammed tasks, but it’s scary-slash-interesting how far they’ve come in just the last five years.

John (Taloni): I am not worried about AI.
My first job in the Entertainment Industry was doing Accounts Payable for a major indie. I quickly segued into Distribution Finance. In that timeframe an “analysis” was a data dump out of the mainframe by the IT Director, which we then added up by hand. Any other kind of analysis was a report followed by tick and tie. It took the whole department working in parallel to do any kind of major analysis.
Now everything is either available immediately from the ERP or on a short refresh into analysis databases/software. A single analyst can do what a whole department needed 35 years ago.
Finance departments have not gone down. Rather, they do more analyses and at a deeper level. I expect the same with AI. The work won’t go away. It will just change.

Tassie Dave: I’ll start off by saying, I’m against AI narration as a replacement for humans. It’s going to happen, but I’m not happy about it. I will always buy the human version versus the AI, if given a choice.
But will the AI be bad? It is now, but it’s only going to get better and I would assume the best companies will still have a human sound editor tweaking the audio to remove any ‘Uncanny Valley’ oddities and to smooth out the quality. I expect it will be indistinguishable from humans within a few years.
AI does have its use. For books that will never sell enough to warrant the cost of a human narrator.
Also for better, on-the-fly narration for the blind community.

BOOK OF THE MONTH DISCUSSION
The Lives of Tao by Wesley Chu – Audiobook · Bookshop
Wesley plans to join us for the July 2 episode!

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.

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

S&L Podcast - #511 - Throw Me in the Corpse Hole

swordandlaser · #511 - Throw Me in the Corpse Hole

We discuss the return of Jim Butcher’s Dresden Files and Frank Herbert’s posthumous SFWA Infinity Award, Audible’s AI narration plans and Amazon’s cancellation of The Wheel of Time—while nominating hamburg steak and vegan enchiladas and sharing listener stories from Matt Dinniman’s event. We round out the show with in-depth discussions of The Lives of Tao and Mickey 7.

Download directly here.

WHAT ARE WE NOMMING?
Tom: Hamburg Steak
Veronica: Vegan enchiladas

QUICK BURNS – add time stamp!
Any news or announcements

Iain: 10 years ago the planet of the spiders was set loose.
Tchaikovsky’s publishers didn’t think it would amount to much. Creating something truly unique means you don’t fit in existing boxes.
Bsky post by aptshadow

Iain: Via Scalzi on Blue Sky.
Dresden is back. “12 Months” is coming out in January after Jim Butcher works through depression. Good read.
NYT: Jim Butcher on The Dresden Files

Mark: The SFWA announced that the recipient of the 2025 Infinity Award is Frank Herbert, author of Dune.
The Infinity Award posthumously honors acclaimed creators who passed away before they could be considered for a Damon Knight Memorial Grand Master Award.
The Infinity Award will be presented at this year’s Nebula Awards Conference in Kansas City, Missouri.
SFWA Infinity Award Recipient: Frank Herbert

Paul: Locus’ annual fundraiser is up, and the coolest-looking thing for sale this year is “A special luxe edition... of the Green Bone Saga by Fonda Lee, signed & personalized, with printed edges in a gorgeous binding,” for $500 USD. I know Tom’s a big fan of the series (I’m on book 2 now and it’s pretty awesome), so just throwing it out there.
There’s also a signed Sando book plus a chull plushie for the bargain rate of $1,500, and for under $150, signed books from Corey Doctorow, Vajra Chandrasekera, Elizabeth Bear, and more, as well as other perks.
Locus fundraiser on Indiegogo

Chris K: The shortlist for the annual Arthur C. Clarke Award, celebrating the best science fiction novel published in the UK, has been announced.
• Private Rites, Julia Armfield (Fourth Estate)
• The Ministry of Time, Kaliane Bradley (Sceptre)
• Extremophile, Ian Green (Ad Astra)
• Annie Bot, Sierra Greer (The Borough)
• Service Model, Adrian Tchaikovsky (Tor UK)
• Thirteen Ways to Kill Lulabelle Rock, Maud Woolf (Angry Robot)
The winner will be announced on June 25, 2025 and receives an engraved bookend and £2,025 in prize money.
The 2025 judges are Dolly Garland and Gene Rowe for the British Science Fiction Association, Nic Clarke and John Coxon for the Science Fiction Foundation, and Glyn Morgan for the SCI-FI-LONDON film festival.
Andrew M. Butler represented the Clarke Award directors as non-voting Chair of the Judges.
Locus: 2025 Clarke Award shortlist

John: Audible unveils plans to use AI voices to narrate audiobooks.
After all the recent praise for Jeff Hays’s narration of the DCC audiobook, this is a sobering reality check.
The Guardian: Audible’s AI narration plans

Phil On The Hill and JasonReads7:
Looks like Amazon has cancelled The Wheel of Time. Is this sad news? I only watched an episode or two and was not won over. The curse of long series is that we never reach the end when televised.
The Verge: Amazon cancels The Wheel of Time

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

Hapahappiness: Hey y’all. Matt Dinniman event was great! Some takeaways: writing awful things was easy because being an a-hole is the path of least resistance. Jeff Hayes made (and lost) a bet resulting in a donut tattoo on his butt. The tattoo session was recorded and posted online. Mr. Dinniman thinks the video resulted in the first DCC audiobook being on the NY Times bestsellers list for the first time. He has never watched Gilmore Girls or Gossip Girl; his daughters are his subject matter experts. He denied having a foot fetish. Lol. One of his joys with this series is when people tell him DCC has reignited their love of reading or got them to read for the first time since high school. When I met him he commented on my S&L hat and told me he recently learned about our book club. 😊 He stayed past 10 pm meeting with everyone and personalizing books (with a name). Overall, a really fun event.

Jan: For the New Dungeon Crawler Carl segment of the podcast 😉
I did not know that the hardcovers for the series had a bonus chapter at the end! I don’t know if I’d buy these just for the chapters, but it might be interesting for some!
Sorry if this had already been mentioned on previous episodes, but maybe these kinds of incentives are something we will be seeing more in the future...

Trike: Re: Ship of Theseus – comedian-juggler Michael Davis had a great joke on this topic. He said one of his axes used to be owned by George Washington. “I’ve replaced the head and the handle, but it occupies the same space.”

BOOK OF THE MONTH DISCUSSION
Kick Off
The Lives of Tao by Wesley Chu
Amazon audiobook link · Bookshop link

Wrap Up
Mickey 7 by Edward Ashton
Bookshop link · Amazon link

An SF “Adventure” about being hungry · How many times can an author use a big word? · The line between adaptation and “in name only” (spoilers abound)

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

S&L Podcast - #510 - A New Theseus

swordandlaser · #510 - A New Theseus

From Hugo admins resigning over AI panel vetting to the latest award winners and a fresh Murderbot clip—to set the stage for our book club pick. Then we dig into Mickey 7’s Ship of Theseus dilemma, sharing listener takes (yes, even foot‑fetishting AIs) and the questions that keep us up at night.

Download directly here!

WHAT ARE WE NOMMING?
Tom: Perilla Oil Buckwheat Noodles – Instagram
Veronica: Gin & Tonic, this time with elderflower syrup!

QUICK BURNS – add time stamp!
Any news or announcements

Dwango and Trike: Hugo Administrators Resign in Wake of ChatGPT Controversy
The upcoming Seattle edition of the World Science Fiction Convention, or Worldcon, used AI to help vet program participants.

Basically the con used ChatGPT to help find a list of panel members, nothing to do with the awards themselves. But it’s very much a case of “read the room, guys” – people don’t like AI, especially the artists from whose work the LLMs have stolen to create their database.

Elizabeth: Looks like the difference between the con (Seattle Worldcon 2025) and the awards presented there (Hugo) needs to be highlighted. It seems the LLM use was by the Worldcon team, not the Hugo team, and the Hugo administrators resigned in protest of this.”
Gizmodo • File770 roundup

Stephen: SPFBO X (Self‑Publish Fantasy Blog Off 10) has a winner: By Blood, by Salt by J.L. Odom.
Facebook photo

ChrisK: 2025 Locus Awards Top Ten Finalists

SCIENCE FICTION NOVEL
The Man Who Saw Seconds, Alexander Boldizar (Clash)
Rakesfall, Vajra Chandrasekera (Tordotcom)
The Mercy of Gods, James S.A. Corey (Orbit US; Orbit UK)
The Bezzle, Cory Doctorow (Tor; Ad Astra UK)
The Imposition of Unnecessary Obstacles, Malka Older (Tordotcom)
Kinning, Nisi Shawl (Tor)
Alien Clay, Adrian Tchaikovsky (Tor UK; Orbit US)
Service Model, Adrian Tchaikovsky (Tordotcom; Tor UK)
Space Oddity, Catherynne M. Valente (Saga; Corsair UK)
Absolution, Jeff VanderMeer (MCD; Fourth Estate UK)

FANTASY NOVEL
I’m Afraid You’ve Got Dragons, Peter S. Beagle (Saga)
The Tainted Cup, Robert Jackson Bennett (Del Rey; Hodderscape UK)
The Dead Cat Tail Assassins, P. Djèlí Clark (Tordotcom)
The Bright Sword, Lev Grossman (Viking; Del Rey UK)
Asunder, Kerstin Hall (Tordotcom)
A Sorceress Comes to Call, T. Kingfisher (Tor; Titan UK)
Somewhere Beyond the Sea, TJ Klune (Tor; Tor UK)
The Siege of Burning Grass, Premee Mohamed (Solaris UK)
Long Live Evil, Sarah Rees Brennan (Orbit US; Orbit UK)
The City in Glass, Nghi Vo (Tordotcom)

For other categories, click the link.
Locus Mag – Top Ten Finalists

Seth: The dishonor of losing the Quick Burn battle to those Discord heathens must not continue.

The LA Times announced their winners of the 2024 Book Prizes, with the Science Fiction, Fantasy & Speculative Fiction award going to Kelly Link for The Book of Love.

Interesting choice because the Goodreads reviews are decidedly mixed.
LA Times Book Prize 2025

Paul: Some new clips of Murderbot with Skarsgård describing Murderbot’s deal.

Didn't really think of the crew as Space Hippies. I just thought they were good people. Does that make me a space hippy?”
YouTube

Iain: The final book in Pullman’s Book of Dust is coming out in October. The (possibly) last book in Lyra’s story, which started in Northern Lights. It’s been a long wait.
Reactor Mag

hapahappiness: Matt Dinniman will be at the San Diego Air and Space Museum for an event hosted by (my favorite) independent bookstore, Mysterious Galaxy, on May 15 at 7 pm!
Mysterious Galaxy event

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

Jan
Hi everyone.

Everyone: HI JAN!

My Bare Your Sword for the episode:
I am still here – I just don’t have time to scour the net for news and post them in the Goodreads Quickburns thread as all my waking moments are dedicated to listening to the master himself Jeff Hays reading the Dungeon Crawler Carl books to me! I am at “The Gate of the Feral Gods” and already dreading when I am through with the available books! Thanks for getting me hooked on the series! I think this is actually the first time I have continued after a Sword and Laser pick!”

Ruth: I actually really enjoyed the parts where the AI talks about feet. It’s just the right balance of gross humour with the underlying sense of “goddammit my whole planet has been destroyed, nearly everyone I know is dead, I have been forced into a deadly dungeon crawl for the entertainment of intergalactic sickos and to cap it all off, I’m being perved on by an artificial intelligence with a foot fetish.

terpkristin:
I’m glad that so many people enjoyed DCC. It wasn’t for me but I enjoyed listening to this episode. I also liked Tom’s impression of the “NEW ACHIEVEMENT!” sound bite.

Stephen: I ripped through all the books last year, one right after another, until I had a short wait for Book 7, This Inevitable Ruin. The series has surprising depth. There are some minor characters that are still a mystery even after seven books. Also, if you Laser folk don’t want to claim DCC, I will gladly put it on the Sword side. It’s just I have so few science fiction writers I eagerly await their next book, I thought you would like one more.

BOOK OF THE MONTH DISCUSSION
Mickey 7 by Edward Ashton – Bookshop • Amazon

Philosophical job training – Goodreads

“The Ship of Theseus from Liqorice
Ok, so we need a SoT discussion. The book asks whether or not the Expendables are effectively immortal (“Is it really you if you die and are recreated?”) As a reminder, Theseus was a Greek king who took a ship on a pilgrimage to honor Apollo. By the end of his journey he had replaced all of the original components on his ship, so was it still the same ship?

I think the book glosses over some very important points that don’t fit into the typical SoT philosophical discussion. As @Iain Bertram points out in another thread, only one scan is ever made of Mickey’s body, and it is done at the start of the journey. So, er, how exactly would that work? Your brain would have changed considerably in the intervening years. In SoT terms, you build a ship. Then you take it to other ship builders and have it modified. Then over the course of intervening years you replace all the parts but do it in a way that makes it identical to the original ship, not the modified one.

Discord SoT thread

Early impressions about Characters (No Plot Spoilers) from Roberator
I’m about nine chapters in and I don’t find any of the characters likable, including Mickey. Am I the only one?

I am interested in the story though, so it’s keeping my interest, but typically my favorite books have memorable characters that I’m rooting for (or rooting against). I don’t dislike anyone enough to be rooting for their demise, but I don’t really care who lives or dies at this point.”
Discord character thread

Replication from Iain Bertram
The method of replicating Mickey is analogous to the transporter in Star Trek (think transporter buffers) which has all sorts of implications. It’s supposed to be an exact copy from when the first scan takes place which means Mickey 8 has a body that is a decade younger than when he started the journey which is going to be weird as his girlfriend gets older.

What happens to the memories of trauma when the body has no scars? That would have to be disconcerting.

Can you imagine hitting the gym for six months and then being stuck back in your flabby body which hasn’t worked out?

Not sure how the tech actually works (I know it’s hand‑wavy but my brain won’t leave it be). Does it need all the proteins and other material used to build the body or does it create it from atoms? I mean, how could you feed it exactly the right proportion of proteins each time? If it builds from atoms why not take a scan of a cow sans personality and just print loads of cows and have a BBQ? Probably the same tech as a Star Trek replicator.

Instead of shipping colonists just ship the scans of the colonists and a nanotech self‑assembly plan to minimize weight.
Discord replication 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 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 & Laser

S&L Podcast - #509 - New Achievement!

swordandlaser · #509 - New Achievement!

We wrap up Dungeon Crawler Carl, including our horrible imitations of Jeff Hays. Plus, we announce the next pick for May and ponder data-driven determinations of the best SFF books of Tom’s life.

Download directly here!

WHAT ARE WE NOMMING?
Tom: Gnocchi Bolognese
Veronica: Gin and tonic

QUICK BURNS – add time stamp!
Any news or announcements

We have to change from per-episode to subscription billing. That means a flat monthly fee for supporting the show instead of only paying when there is an episode.

Tamahome: Brandon Sanderson’s Isles of the Emberdark available for preorder. That’s quite an early preorder for February 2026: Isles of the Emberdark

Iain: Children of Strife is on the way. Tor UK acquires four stellar novels by Adrian Tchaikovsky

Liqorice: Cassidy Beeve-Morris, er, not sure what to call him, a “data scientist and blogger,” was doing an analysis on the best sci-fi and fantasy of the last 50 years based on the major awards (Hugo, Nebula, etc.). He noticed a curious thing: there is a very distinct trend where Sword has started to outperform Laser in awards over time. Speaking as an armchair economist who fails to understand that correlation does not imply causation (I’m referring to myself, not the author), my first impulse was to attribute the change to Veronica’s influence. But then I realized that S&L has only been in production for 15 of the 50-plus-year trend, which means it’s more likely that Veronica is a product of her times while Tom is a relic of the golden age. Where Has All the Sci-Fi Gone? (Reddit)

Okay, I should probably follow up with a summary of the top ten according to awards received that spurred the observation of Sword trending over Laser. Personally, I’ve read all of them except for The Yiddish Policemen’s Union and Blackout/All Clear. To be honest, I’ve never heard of either of them. Say what?

Note that March’s S&L pick The City & the City shows up at the #18 spot. And I’m sure Princess Doughnut missed getting onto this list by a whisker. Meow.

The details, with all of the grisly math, are here (did I mention the author was a data scientist?): Determining Best Science Fiction & Fantasy Novels Since 1970

Tamahome: Mike Flanagan’s Carrie TV series has been greenlit at Prime Video. The series will be eight episodes and begin filming this summer: Mike Flanagan’s ‘Carrie’ Greenlit at Prime Video

BARE YOUR SWORD

Ruth: I had never really considered before the impact of negative commentary on the morale of our overlords… I want T & V to feel enthusiastic about the book club, so I shall endeavour to make some more positive comments about our current and future picks!
I’m still not entirely convinced by Alexander Skarsgård as Murderbot, tbh. I saw someone suggesting that Gwendoline Christie would have been perfect for the role and now I can’t help wishing she had been cast instead! I’ll probably watch the show anyway, though, as the trailer looks good—it captures the snarky tone perfectly.

Stephen: Since Alexander put up the money to start the show and I’m sure having his name attached brought in more investors, I’m going in with a neutral mind. I really wanted an animated version like the ones in some episodes of Love, Death & Robots. I guess I’ll have to wait some more time for my vision to come true. Maybe DCC, but the character of Carl may be too tempting for some actors to pass up.

Paul: You know, his deadpan voice and subtle facial expressions actually really sold me. I had always imagined Murderbot as having a low female voice, but listening to him as Murderbot in the trailer, I thought “Yeah, this is what a SECU would be programmed to sound like.”
I’m sold. #TeamSkarsgardbot

BOOK OF THE MONTH DISCUSSION
May Book Advance Kick-Off
Mickey 7 by Edward Ashton
Amazon: Mickey 7

Wrap-Up
Dungeon Crawler Carl by Matt Dinniman
Amazon: Dungeon Crawler Carl

Ruth: It was interesting to hear the clip of the fully dramatised audiobook, even though, tbh, my takeaway was that Jeff Hays’ performance is so good you don’t need anything else!

A Quick Note on Isekai—and Dungeon Crawler Carl’s flavor of portal fantasy: Discord Discussion
Why this book is awesome: Goodreads Discussion

ScottM: I feel like if I wanted to experience a level grind as a form of escape, I would rather play some WoW or another MMO. In novel form, it just doesn’t click for me. I expect I would feel similarly about most litRPG novels. I understand what the novel is doing and I don’t mind reading it. I’m just also not especially interested in what it’s doing. DCC Reaction: It’s Fine

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 & Laser.

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

S&L Podcast – #508 – Sexy, Sexy, Mind Palace

swordandlaser · #508 - Sexy, Sexy, Mind Palace

We have Murderbot trailer! And we like it! Plus, the Hugo nominees are out and we wrap up our thoughts on The City and the City and begin our April dungeon crawl.

Download directly here!

WHAT ARE WE NOMMING?
Tom: Sumo Mandarin Orange
Veronica: Cadbury Egg season

QUICK BURNS
CountZeroOr and Trike: Murderbot trailer: May 16 on Apple TV” (Watch on YouTube)

Seth: Happy National Library Week (in the USA) (ALA National Library Week)

Chaminade and Geoff: Hugo shortlist 2025 is out!
Novel:

• Alien Clay by Adrian Tchaikovsky (Orbit US, Tor UK)

• The Ministry of Time by Kaliane Bradley (Avid Reader Press, Sceptre)

• Service Model by Adrian Tchaikovsky (Tordotcom)

• Someone You Can Build a Nest In by John Wiswell (DAW)

• A Sorceress Comes to Call by T. Kingfisher (Tor)

• The Tainted Cup by Robert Jackson Bennett (Del Rey, Hodderscape UK)

“For the first time I can remember, I’ve read them all before the nominations! Service Model or The Tainted Cup are my favorites, but they are all good.”
2025 Hugo Award Finalists

Mark: SFWA names Nicola Griffith as the 41st Damon Knight Memorial Grand Master (SFWA Announcement)

Seth: The S&L bump strikes again with The Ministry of Time – this time it’s on the short list for the brand‑new Climate Fiction Prize (Climate Fiction Prize)

The long list for the Women’s Prize for Fiction has been announced – it’s mostly lit‑fic, but the nominees include S&L pick The Ministry of Time by Kaliane Bradley. Another example of the S&L bump? (Women’s Prize Long List)

NaNoWriMo shuts down as a foundation due to funding issues (TechCrunch)

BARE YOUR SWORD
TRP: When I saw the title, I thought Tom and Veronica would mention Elisabeth Wheatley. She’s an indie author who writes in the fantasy genre. She is a queen of TikTok/YouTube self‑promotion and created a voracious book‑reading character called Book Goblin. I have read her book Daindreth’s Assassin and can definitely recommend it.

Tassie Dave: The question was asked, “How often have we read the March Madness runner‑up?” In the 9 years of March Madness, the runner‑up has not ended up as a pick eventually, only 3 times.
- 2016: was a tie. Both books read. The Fifth Season as an alt‑pick.
- 2017: Howl’s Moving Castle was a pick in 2020.
- 2018: Soulless was an alt‑pick.
- 2019: Never picked. The First Fifteen Lives of Harry August.
- 2020: Never picked. The City of Brass.
- 2021: Never picked. Gods of Jade and Shadow.
- 2022: Children of Time was a pick in 2023.
- 2023: Children of Time was a pick in 2023.
- 2024: Emily Wilde’s Encyclopaedia of Faeries was a pick in 2024.

Of the books chosen to be in the March Madness Final 16 brackets, 33 have ended up as S&L book picks (so far).
- The best year was 2018, where 8 of the 16 books ended up as book picks (7 official and 1 alt‑pick).
- The most read in a single year was in 2024: 6 of the 12 book picks for the year were March Madness books (5 from the 2024 tournament and 1 from 2022).
- 4.77 books, on average, from each tournament end up as book picks; 3.66 books when you account for books that were in multiple tournaments.
- 4 runner‑ups were read in the same year: 2016, 2018 (both April alt‑picks), and 2023 & 2024 (both May picks).
- The Fifth Season was, effectively, the runner‑up, as V&T used their veto powers to declare A Darker Shade of Magic as the official book pick.

With Veronica expressing a boundless love for all things cheese, I wanted to pass along an amazing landmark between Milwaukee and Chicago: the Mars Cheese Castle (marscheese.com). Should you ever make it to Wisconsin, this is a fun location to try a variety of Wisconsin cheese. Most restaurants will offer fried cheese curds, but I would recommend trying fresh cheese curds as well. Fresh cheese curds are lovingly referred to as “squeaky cheese.”
Ever yours,
Shawn D. Whale
p.s. I failed to find the Bare Your Sword link on Goodreads, which is why I sent you this.

BOOK OF THE MONTH DISCUSSION
Dungeon Crawler Carl by Matt Dinniman (Bookshop • Amazon)

FINAL THOUGHTS (spoilery)
The City & the City by China Miéville (Bookshop • Amazon)
Book briefing: Patreon

TCaTC: Boring Borlu (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.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.

S&L Podcast - #507 - Book Goblin

swordandlaser · #507 - Book Goblin

Tom forgot to write the intro to the show this week, so you’re stuck with the Veronica Edition. March is still full of madness, which makes sense because it’s a full moon eclipse coming up and Venus is in retrograde. Or something! We check in on The City and The City by China Miéville, and we see and unsee your perspectives on the book thus far.

Download directly here!

WHAT ARE WE NOMMING?

Tom: Egg Frittata and Fried Potatoes, Mochi Cake
Veronica: Vegetarian cottage pie
"Cottage pie is Shepherd's pie without lamb" - Elizabeth

QUICK BURNS

March Madness Update

March Madness

Round of 4: March 9th - 15th, 11:59 PM ET
Final Round: March 16th - 22nd, 11:59 PM ET

Goodreads Poll
March Madness 2025 - Round 1 Voting

terpkristin: Amal El-Mohtar and her sister played music that will be used in the audiobook of Amal El-Mohtar’s new book (The River Has Roots). Not sure this is really worthy of Quick Burns, but I thought it was cool.
Instagram Reel

Mark: WHOA! Justin Lin will direct Keanu Reeves in BRZRKR. BRZRKR is the story of a violent half-god who stomps around doing a lot of violence. Keanu Reeves co-writes the comics featuring BRZRKR with Matt Kindt. Reeves and this month's author, China Miéville, co-wrote a novel, The Book of Elsewhere, set in the world of the BRZRKR comic book.
Read more

Seth: Terry Brooks announces that, at age 81, he's ready for semi-retirement. He’s handing head-writer duties for his 50-year-old Shannara series to Delilah Dawson.

Instead of feeling like Sanderson finishing The Wheel of Time, this seems to me more like what's happened recently with some suspense authors becoming brands. Like Lee Child turning over his character to his brother, or how Clive Cussler or Robert Ludlum’s characters just keep going despite their authors' deaths.

Read more

Jan: The winners of the 2025 Libby Awards, chosen by librarians and library workers across North America, have been announced.

Winners of genre interest:

• Science Fiction and Debut Author of the Year: The Ministry of Time by Kaliane Bradley (Sword & Laser pick!)

• Best Fantasy: The Spellshop by Sarah Beth Durst (romantic cozy fantasy about stolen spellbooks, unexpected friendships, and sweet jams)

• Best Romantasy: House of Flame and Shadow by Sarah J. Maas (totally unexpected)

• Best Young Adult Fiction: Heir by Sabaa Tahir (romantic fantasy following an orphan, an outcast, and a prince in a world on the brink of chaos)

• Best Middle Grade Book: Impossible Creatures by Katherine Rundell (a race to save the world’s last magical place)

Read more

Seth: Publisher’s Weekly reports that the book jobber who distributes to mass retailers (bookstores and big-box stores) is going to cease working with books in mass-market paperback size.

I have many memories of combing used-bookstore shelves for mass-market sci-fi titles as a kid—reading lots of Star Wars and Star Trek paperbacks, some until they fell apart. Recently, I figured it was mostly for the romance genre, so I was surprised to learn that last year’s best-selling mass-markets were 1984 and Animal Farm.

Read more

Trike: Analog, Asimov’s, and F&SF Under New Ownership

All three magazines have been bought by the same outfit, which also purchased Alfred Hitchcock’s Mystery Magazine and Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine.

Read more

BARE YOUR SWORD

Stephen: I really wanted the Murderbot series to be done in the animated style of some of the episodes in Love, Death & Robots. Oh well.

Trike: Veronica can’t get to the Book Briefing because she’s a working mother. Like she said in this episode, she had to drink and nap until the kid got home. That cuts into your reading time.

BOOK OF THE MONTH DISCUSSION

The City & the City by China Miéville

Bookshop Link
Amazon Link
Book Briefing

• TCatC: Unseeing Goodreads Discussion

• TCatC: Miéville has got to be taking... Goodreads Discussion

The City and the City (2018) IMDb

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.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

📧 Contact Us: feedback@swordandlaser.com
🌍 Website: swordandlaser.com
📱 Socials: We are on Instagram, X, and Mastodon @swordandlaser
📚 Join our Goodreads Group: Goodreads

S&L Podcast - #506 - SECs Unit

swordandlaser · #506 - SECs Unit

March Madness has begun, so get your votes in now. Plus do we like Alexander Skarsgard as Murderbot? And our final thoughts on Will of the Many and non-spoiler intro to The City and the City.

Download directly here

WHAT ARE WE NOMMING?
Tom: Smashburger from For the Win
Veronica: Hot toddy

QUICK BURNS

March Madness is here!
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

https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/23044773-march-madness-2025---round-1-voting-ends-march-1st

Trike:

First look at Alexander Skarsgard as Murderbot.

I’ve enjoyed Skarsgard in everything I’ve seen him do, but I still think he isn’t quite right for Murderbot. I’ll watch, though. Debuts May 16 on Apple TV.
Link

Scott: Nominations for the 2025 Ursula K Le Guin Prize for Fiction open on March 1 and run through March 31. Anyone can submit a nomination. The full set of criteria are at the site below. Note the period of eligibility this year is different. The book must have been first published between April 1, 2024 and December 31, 2024.
Link

Scott: It seems worth mentioning that novels set in the 20th century are now getting categorized as Historical Fiction. Here's a Goodreads list broken down by decade from the 1900s to the 1990s.

Mark: GRRM has a new business venture opening in Santa Fe NM this March, in the same building as his movie theater and bookstore... a tavern named Milk of the Poppy
-- Link

Mark: the Author Forecast: Weather Worth Reading Kickstarted
Your local weather told through 5,000+ literary quotes and counting. I don't know what percentage of quotes come from SF&F novels.
Link

BARE YOUR SWORD

Iain: Twas I who bad mouthed Chakrobarty. NO need to slander the Ruths. I found her books to be a rather superficial take on the mythology of Djinn (amongst other reasons).

As for blurbs. I don't think it takes away from writing as reading is a pretty important part of a writer's profession. You need to keep up to date with what is happening in your field.

Charles Stross blurb for Gideon the Ninth sure made me want to read it and that was Tamsyn Muir's first novel (“Lesbian necromancers explore a haunted gothic palace in space!”).

As for going south to get colder that is totally normal in Australia where James Islington lives (in the south no less)... Not that any one from the UK would call Victoria cold.

Stephen: I was browsing the sales table at my Local bookstore when I ran across a book called Long Ships, a thick book about Vikings by Frans G, Bengtsson from 1954 but it was the blurb by Joe Abercrombie that caught my eye, "A rip-roaring saga that's vivid and authentic ... No one should go a-viking without it." So, blurbs do work on me, especially if it is by a time travelling Grimdark Author I greatly admire. I should add if Hardbacks are one price, trade paper another but cheaper, should not e-books be even cheaper considering the lack of paper and binding?

BOOK OF THE MONTH DISCUSSION

Kick Off
The City & the City by China Miéville
Amazon Link
Book briefing

Wrap Up
The Will of the Many by James Islington
Amazon Link

John (Taloni)

I'm at the 75% mark, kindle says page ~475 of 632. So far this book is feeling like a gigantic prologue. It's all setup for...what, exactly? Maybe there will be some action in the next 150 pages. Since this is a mega series of doorstop books I kinda think there will be a fury of action to finish and then a cliffhanger.

Also, call me crazy, but isn't a central piece of action a fraud? [His action stopping the big attack came after another conspirator gave him immunity (the scratch across the chest) and gave him a weapon. He basically walked across a plank and then the attacker killed himself. (I know these people have names, I just don't feel like digging in the text for ten minutes right now. Might edit later.) (hide spoiler)]

The intro gave me heavy Thomas Covenant feels, where we are introduced to people using mind powers to manipulate objects in a medieval second world. There Covenant didn't get it and here the MC does but we don't, but it's still an intro.

I could really do without another magic school, but it works as a framing device. The classes don't make sense at all. Do they do this every year? If they do, why not have our MC wait until the next one.

Also John Taloni (this time on Discord)

Just when we thought "Fisted" couldn't be topped, along comes an even more awkward construction. I refer of course to the pejorative "rotting gods" which dots this book. It's...yanno, that phrase jumps out at me every time I see it. Why would gods rot? What would they look like?

Kindle search says there are 41 instances in the book. I would swear it's three times as much.

tilltab (Judge Ruth)

Okay, I’m finished. Next book when?

I haven’t had time to gather my thoughts on this book yet to say anything other than ‘gosh that was good’ but I figured I’d make a thread for folk to discuss the ending and the book as a whole, and future speculation.

I’m gonna calm down and wash up now. That got intense!

Ricardo
This book was a plot machine and I never read a 600 page book this fast. I also dug the dynamic between Vis, Callidus & Eidhin. I felt like most of these characters shared typical traits we've seen in stories like this, but everyone's motivations were understandable.
The tension between Vis, his loyalty to Suus and everyone pushing and pulling him for their own ends are what stood out for me.
By the end, some contrivances; one too many Bond-villian monologues and the deus ex machina, but those would be my nitpicks. Also, the romance with Emissa was expected but did nothing for me. On the very end, I'm always a little nervous about multiversal stuff; I don't like take-backsies. But this book earned my trust for the next two installments.

William_1844
I'd been a "read all the picks" S&L listener for years. Then I hit some major personal/family crisis stuff and just couldn't face anything except cozy reads I could trust. This was my first S&L read in a year or so and it hit my brain like a tsunami. I shot through it and now I think part of my mind is in denial that it is over. I keep wanting to read the next bit and worrying about what's happening to Vis/Diago when I'm not looking. I seriously can not wait for the next book.

terpkristin: Interesting that Tom found it fast at the start and is slowing down. I found it to be a slow start for me, but now that I'm about 25% in, I keep looking for opportunities to read. I wish that I liked the narrator of the audiobook, because that would give me a lot more reading time lately.

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.

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

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

swordandlaser · #505 - The Roman Empire is My Roman Empire

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

swordandlaser · #504 - The Miéville Effect

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.

• Scalzi - New Book

• Scalzi - Cover Reveal

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

• Bookshop.org

• Amazon

Wrap-Up

The Ministry of Time by Kaliane Bradley

• Amazon

• Bookshop.org

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

swordandlaser · #503 - Tapeworms and Time Travel

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

swordandlaser · #502 - Rhubarb Abercrumble

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!
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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

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