S&L Podcast - #199 - Integrity for Sale

This week we almost wrap up The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern, discuss the intricacies of eBook DRM and try to decide just how high a price our integrity would fetch. We also wonder the same about Neal Stephenson and Steven Hawking. Join us, won't you?

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WHAT ARE WE DRINKING?    
Tom: Forgotten Fire 1871 
Veronica: Greyhound    
    
QUICK BURNS
    
Tamahome: Gotta love the NPR filter tool for the best books of 2014. Hat tip to Jenny. 
    
Shad: Interesting ruling on DRM. It might not hold up on appeal, but it would be great if stripping DRM to make a backup of books you bought stopped being illegal    
Related thread by Eric    
       
Daniel: Something I've noticed in my own personal tastes. All the best new books I've been reading have been firmly in the fantasy genre. For my sci-fi fix I've definitly been in comics and manga.     
    
Sci-Fi Author Neal Stephenson Joins Mystery Startup Magic Leap as ‘Chief Futurist’  
    
BARE YOUR SWORD
    
Scott: 2014 Book Themes?    
    
Alex: Reading in 2015    
    
Andy: If you were able to take Veronica and Tom on an adventure (think RPG), what would their roles be?   
    
BOOK OF THE MONTH DISCUSSION    
    
Next Month's Book Pick Poll    
    
The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern    
        
ADDENDUMS    
    
Support our show on Patreon    
You can also support the show by buying books through our links! Find upcoming and past new releases at swordandlaser.com/calendar   

S&L Podcast - #198 - The Most Hated Phrases in SciFi

This week we're busy. We congratulate the winners of several year-end awards. We kick off our December book pick, The Night Circus, a beautiful novel by Erin Morgenstern. And we dive into some of the most wretched and hated terms and phrases in the professions of authorship. Mary Sue is under siege!

Download directly here!

WHAT ARE WE DRINKING?

Tom: Red Trolley Ale
Veronica: Red Branch Hard Apple & Honey Cider
Casey: What are YOU drinking?

QUICK BURNS

Tamahome: The Goodreads choice awards are in
Sky: Audible's best of 2014 released. Sanderson managed to win out over UF/Paranormal :)
Dara: SyFy has cast the leads for The Magicians series. Jason Ralph will play Quentin Coldwater and Sosie Bacon (daughter of Kevin Bacon) will play Alice.
Nick pointed out the successful test flight of the unmanned Orion space capsule. 
Nick: Christopher Nolan rumored to be offered Ready Player One to direct
Fiona: The BBC adapted Good Omens as a 6 part audioplay. First part will air on Radio 4 on Monday 22nd December. Terry Pratchett and Neil Gaiman have cameo appearances!
Tamahome: What James Cameron says you'll do when you see the Avatar sequels. NSFW.http://boingboing.net/2014/11/26/james-cameron-on-avatar-sequel.html

PICKS

Andrew picked: The City and the City by China Mieville

BARE YOUR SWORD

Louie: Terms authors are tired of hearing: "Infodump," "Mary Sue," "Hard SF," "Dystopian."
What are some terms that you are tired of hearing/reading?
Marion: What Is The Strangest or Most Unique SF/Fantasy Novel That You Have Ever Read?

BOOK OF THE MONTH DISCUSSION

Kick off: The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern

Erin Morgenstern on The Night Circus - YouTube

the night circus | erin morgenstern

Erin Morgenstern - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

ADDENDUMS

Support our show on Patreon

You can also support the show by buying books through our links! Find upcoming and past new releases at swordandlaser.com/calendar