We talk with author Beth Cato, author of The Clockwork Dagger, about why healers are never the hero in genre fiction — and how she decided to change that. We also press her for baked brie recipes and discover how the Foo Fighters helped shape Octavia Leander.
S&L Podcast – #219 – We Make People Win Nebula Awards– Maybe.
First off we now have a 100% record picking Nebula-award winning books for the club. That’s 100% of the last two years. So take note Nebula-wanters! Also we’re very excited about a new series from University of Illinois Press called the Masters of Science Fiction. You can find out William Gibson’s secrets!
WHAT ARE WE DRINKING?
Tom: Snowdrift: Orchard Select Hard Cider
Veronica: Bulliet Rye
QUICK BURNS
Ian: Sword and Laser pick Annihilation won Best Novel Nebula!
Joanna
In 2013, the University of Illinois Press launched a new series of scholarly books: The Modern Masters of Science Fiction, a series dedicated to studying the men and women who shaped modern science fiction literature.
Nick: The Martian first teaser trailer/clip
John
IDW Publishing teases comic project with William Gibson
David H.
Chaz Brenchley won the Lambda Award for Bitter Waters for Best LGBT SF/F/H Book (it’s a collection).
Brendan: Goodnight Dune
Sky
Stealing Rob’s post from another group that shall not be named – New Riyria Chronicles book and chance for bonus goodies like awesome t-shirts. Due to various deadlines, Mr. Sullivan has decided to self-publish the 3rd Riyria Chronicles book and is doing a Kickstarter.
BARE YOUR SWORD
I am new to the Sword & Laser podcast and just really podcasting in general. It’s amazing to find a medium where similar interests are explored and expounded upon. Having said that, I’m slowly catching up from earlier podcasts on Sword & Laser but upon listening to the Elizabeth Bear author spotlight I learned that your a fan of Grimdark (Abercrombie). I’m a huge fan of the genre and have read and found the following authors/books truly fascinating: Abercrombie (First Law), Heroes, Best Served Cold, Brent Weeks (Night Angel), Brian McClellan (Powder Mage Trilogy), Brian Staveley (Emperor’s Blades), Luke Scull (Grim Company), and most recently Mark Smylie (The Barrow) which was amazing but yet found certain parts uncomfortable to get through. Right now I’m reading Marc Turner’s (When The Heavens Fall).
Based on your experience with Grimdark and the Fantasy genre and what I have been reading, I was hoping you could shed some light on some other author’s and their books that would fit the mold of what I am currently reading.
I’m really looking forward to what you have to say. Thank you so much for your time. Hopefully I’ll be able to get up to speed on the podcast shortly enough. Thanks for your time.
Best,
Paul
—
BOOK OF THE MONTH DISCUSSION
City of Stairs by Robert Jackson Bennett
S&L Podcast – #192 – Sexual Experiences with Robert Jackson Bennett
ADDENDUMS
Our show is currently entirely funded by our patrons at patreon.com/swordandlaser Thank you to all the folks who back our show and if you would like to support the show that way head to patreon.com/swordandlaser
You can also support the show by buying books through our links! Find links to the books we talk about and some of our favorites at swordandlaser.com/picks.
SWORD & LASER AT THE BAY AREA BOOK FESTIVAL IN BERKELEY!
S&L Podcast – #219 – We Make People Win Nebula Awards. Maybe.
First off we now have a 100% record picking Nebula-award winning books for the club. That’s 100% of the last two years. So take note Nebula-wanters! Also we’re very excited about a new series from University of Illinois Press called the Masters of Science Fiction. You can find out William Gibson’s secrets!
S&L Podcast – #218 – Why There’s No Such Thing as Writer’s Block
Peter Orullian wears many hats. He is an author, musician, and has worked for many years at Microsoft on the XBox team. Today we talk about his series The Vault of Heaven, get the scoop on his all-time favorite music, and hear why Peter believes there is no such thing as writer’s block.
The debut of the Sword & Laser Collection
As you may have heard on the podcast, we launched a contest on Inkshares last month to find the debut novel for the Sword & Laser Collection. This novel would be published by Inkshares with the S&L imprint, the author would get an interview on the show, as well as writing advice from Gary Whitta!
Well, the time has come, and the news is out!
Congrats to both of our winners, JF Dubeau and G. Derek Adams! You can pre-order and follow their books, and stay tuned for their interviews on the show!
Of course, a huge congrats to ALL of the top six finalists, who will also have their books published.
S&L Podcast – #217 – Apply John Scalzi Directly to Forehead
We congratulate John Scalzi on his book deal (while Veronica teases about his Lock In Sequel’s title), applaud Ernest Cline’s choice of audiobook narrator and have polar opposite opinions about Leigh Brackett’s “Sword of Rhiannon.”
QUICK BURNS
AndrewP – Just read on the Tor.com website that Tanith Lee passed away 🙁
Joanna: Holy crap, John Scalzi just signed a $3.4 million deal with Tor for his next 13 books. Well, if he still thought that he hadn’t “made it”, he has no excuse for that, now. Given his blog, though, I don’t think imposter syndrome was something he suffers much anymore, if at all. More details, including the plan of books.
James (Observant Raven) The first trailer for The Magicians TV series has been released.
Louie: Wil Wheaton to narrate the audiobook of Ernest Cline’s Armada.
James (Observant Raven) The trailer for Arthur C Clarkes Childhood’s End tv series has been released.
Astronaut reads ‘Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy’ in space
See a first look at Matt Damon in Ridley Scott’s ‘The Martian’
Finalists: 2015 Aurora Award
BARE YOUR SWORD
Are some stories just too old? Forgotten or unreadable by today’s standards?
Adding “Lemmed” as a shelf
Just for fun – reviews of self-pubbed “bad” ebooks
BOOK OF THE MONTH DISCUSSION
Next month: City of Stairs by Robert Jackson Bennett
WRAP UP
Sword of Rhiannon by Leigh Brackett
ADDENDUMS
Inkshares promo! If you’ve heard about Inkshares on the show, and want to try it out, use the link: inkshares.com/secrets/swordandlaser
You’ll get $10 in credits to back a book you’d like to read! If you’ve already created an account and have backed one of the S&L contest entrants, you’ve already received an additional $5 to keep the momentum going! So head over to the S&L Collection contest and back your favorites!”
Our show is currently entirely funded by our patrons at patreon.com/swordandlaser Thank you to all the folks who back our show and if you would like to support the show that way head to patreon.com/swordandlaser
You can also support the show by buying books through our links! Find links to the books we talk about and some of our favorites at swordandlaser.com/picks .
S&L Podcast – #216 – Why Genres Don’t Matter on the Internet
We talk with Rachel Aaron about why she doesn’t worry about genre anymore and how she had to fight the siren song of Warcraft to become a professional writer.
S&L Podcast – #215 – Is The Magician’s Quentin Too Handsome?
Everything you’ve ever read seems to be coming to TV. Plus Veronica tries to uncover Tom’s secret political conspiracy, while Tom changes Veronica’s opinion of 1940s era swashbuckling.
Download direct link here!
WHAT ARE WE DRINKING?
Tom: Rogue Hazelnut Brown Nectar
Veronica: Viansa Sonoma County Zinfandel 2009
QUICK BURNS
Campbell Award Finalists
Locus Award Finalists
Tamahome: As the unofficial spokesman for the Arthur C. Clarke award, I’m here to inform you that Emily St. John Mandel’s post-apocalyptic novel Station Eleven just won it.
David H. :They picked up “”The Magicians”” as a TV series.
Dara: SyFy and Amblin are making a Brave New World miniseries.
Dara: BBC America set a premiere date for the Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell miniseries. June 13th at 10pm.
Brendan: Natalie Portman to Lead Alex Garland’s Next Sci-Fi Film ‘Annihilation’
Say hello the the Biologist.
Daniel: The folio society (who I just bought and awesome edition of Dune from) are going to realease a special edition of The Man in the High Castle.
BARE YOUR SWORD
Hey T & V:
Alright, I’m that guy. I’m the guy that read the “”Song of Ice and Fire”” books years ago, and now is watching how the television adaptation is playing out. I feel this brings up an interesting precedent. Normally a film or TV version is based on novels (or in some cases the other way round). But this series brings up an interesting paradox:
If the Novel series were begun first, but the final TV episodes aired before the book series concluded, which one is CANON?
Normally we have one or the other to point to so we can say “”…well Originally this happened but in the film …. etc”” This will be hard to parse as an avid reader.
Love the sword swipes and laser beams,
Caliban
P.S. Loved the homage to Terry Pratchett.
—
TSoR: Is this Tom’s response to the Hugo Controversy?
BOOK OF THE MONTH DISCUSSION
Sword of Rhiannon by Leigh Brackett
Audiobook
Used copies
EBook (Under the name Sea-Kings of Mars)
ADDENDUMS
Inkshares Sword and Laser novel contest check-in
Read an Excerpt from THE LIFE ENGINEERED by J.F. Dubeau
Read an Excerpt of CINNABAR by Edmund Newton
Read an Excerpt from ASTEROIDS MADE OF DRAGONS by G. Derek Adams
Read an Excerpt of ROCKETS by Liam Dynes
Our show is entirely funded by our patrons at patreon.com/swordandlaser Thank you to all the folks who back our show and if you would like to support the show that way head to patreon.com/swordandlaser
You can also support the show by buying books through our links! Find links to the books we talk about and some of our favorites at swordandlaser.com/picks.
S&L Podcast – #214 – Discworld’s Inner Rage
Rucksack Universe Author and Pratchett Enthusiast, Anthony St. Clair joins us to wrap up our reading of Terry Pratchett’s Wyrd Sisters. Is Granny Weatherwax a conduit for Pratchett’s righteous anger? Does Tom live next to Nanny Ogg? All these mysteries and more revealed.
WHAT ARE WE DRINKING?
Tom: The Dalmore 12 year old
Veronica: Bulleit Bourbon
Anthony: A delicious coffee stout of some description.
QUICK BURNS
Joanna: It looks like Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell is going to come out soon. 7-part miniseries
Clyde: A passage which was cut from A Wrinkle in Time has been found by Madeleine L’Engle’s granddaughter and published by the Wall Street Journal.
Tamahome: Don’t know if you covered the Arthur C. Clarke award nominees. It’s a juried award, different from the Hugo’s, and different from Arthur C. Clarke novels as well.
Dara: Gollancz acquires sequel to Sir Arthur C. Clarke’s A Meeting with Medusa, written by Alastair Reynolds and Stephen Baxter
Dara: Cover reveal for Charlie Jane Anders’s debut novel All the Birds in the Sky was posted on Tor. Coming Feb. 2, 2016
Sky: Mark Lawrence (Empire of Thorns, Red Queen’s War) has a new 3 book deal from Harper Collins for “Red Sister”, this one featuring a female protagonist.
BARE YOUR SWORD
Hi Tom and Veronica,
Just wanted to drop a note quick and say that Tom I immediately thought oh man this is like Hitchhiker’s guide to the galaxy for fantasy too as I got into this book. It really has that same vibe and I also had no idea Pratchett’s work was like that. Fun stuff.
Also I am listening to the audio version and it appears to be an older recording so I could see why that has put some off but I am kind of enjoying the old school vibe.
Thanks,
Drew R.
BOOK OF THE MONTH DISCUSSION
Wyrd Sisters by Terry Pratchett
Study guide
io9 Guide to Discworld
Next month: Sword of Rhiannon by Leigh Brackett – discussion on how to obtain it in Goodreads.
Audiobook
Used copies
EBook (Under the name Sea-Kings of Mars)
Wikipedia article
ADDENDUMS
Our show is currently entirely funded by our patrons at patreon.com/swordandlaser Thank you to all the folks who back our show and if you would like to support the show that way head to patreon.com/swordandlaser
You can also support the show by buying books through our links! Find links to the books we talk about and some of our favorites at swordandlaser.com/picks
S&L Podcast – #213 – Our Thoughts on the Hugos
We’re excited and fearful about a new chapter from George R.R. Martin’s Winds of Winter, we’re hopeful about new books from John Scalzi and Ann Leckie and we’re just a little wistful and/or angry about the Hugos.
Download direct!
WHAT ARE WE DRINKING?
Tom: Newcastle Brown Ale
Veronica: Viognier White Wine
QUICK BURNS
Sword & Laser Collection Contest
Sandra: Behold! A new chapter from Winds of Winter
Eleanor (via Steven): BBC Radio 4 have three sets of programs celebrating the work of Ursula Le Guin.
Dara: Ann Leckie sold another Ancillary story to Orbit, to be published in 2017.
Sandra: Cover Art and Release Schedule for John Scalzi’s The End of All Things Novellas
Paul: The Tiptree awards and for 2014 have been announced.
People are dropping out of the Hugos
Aidan – Two Hugo nominees have been disqualified due to ineligibility
Pssst: Aidan’s also got a short story collection coming out
Ewan: The whole Hugos Thing
BARE YOUR SWORD
Just a quick heads up that the Discworld Reading Order Guide now has an official Facebook page!
We are gearing up toward releasing the final (sad, I know) 3.0 version of the Guide soon and will be taking suggestions for the draft on the /r/Discworld subreddit and on Facebook once the draft is published. Looking forward to hearing from S&L Pratchett fans.
– Krzysztof Kietzman
What COMICS Are You Reading
BOOK OF THE MONTH DISCUSSION
Wyrd Sisters by Terry Pratchett
Brendan: Discworld graffiti showing up in London
Neil Gaiman on Terry Pratchett’s inspiration
Question about selecting out of print books as our book pick
ADDENDUMS
Our show is currently entirely funded by our patrons at patreon.com/swordandlaser Thank you to all the folks who back our show and if you would like to support the show that way head to patreon.com/swordandlaser
You can also support the show by buying books through our links! Find links to the books we talk about and some of our favorites at swordandlaser.com/picks