The Iron Throne, by Marc Simonetti.

It’s a day filled with George Martin’s real iron throne and Joe Abercrombie’s new empires.  Plus Veronica reveals the August book pick!

WHAT ARE WE DRINKING?

Tom: Slurm

Veronica: Romulan Ale

QUICK BURNS

Amazon launches graphic novel imprint, with George R.R. Martin among first authors

George R.R. Martin: This is what the Iron Throne REALLY looks like

George R.R. Martin smashes up a guitar; Neil Gaiman approves

Trailer for debut novel TERRA features some famous faces

Book Trailer: MADDADDAM by Margaret Atwood

A glimpse of a FIRST LAW world map

Joe Abercrombie sells new fantasy series to HarperCollins Voyager

J.K. Rowling quietly published a crime novel—all the way back in April

Your Semi-Obligatory Reminder Regarding Hugo Voting

CALENDAR

Patrick Rothfuss’ Kingkiller Chronicles books are getting a TV show!

BOOK CHECK-IN

Ringworld by Larry Niven

This so much fun

“What the Tanj?!” 

Redshirts by John Scalzi

Redshirts and Among Others

Wrap up Ringworld and Redshirts August 6.

August book pick!

The Curse of Chalion by Lois McMaster Bujold

BARE YOUR SWORD

Great First Lines

How much should an author consider race?

ADDENDUMS

This podcast is brought to you by Audible.com the internet’s leading provider of audiobooks with more than 100,000 downloadable titles across all types of literature and featuring audio versions of many New York Times Best Sellers. For listeners of this podcast, Audible is offering a free audiobook, to give you a chance to try out their service. For a free audiobook of your choice go to audiblepodcast.com/sword. 

This episode is brought to you by Squarespace, the all-in-one platform that makes it fast and easy to create your own professional website or online portfolio.  For a free trial and 10% off, go to squarespace.com and use offer code SWORD7.

Direct download link for this episode!

Download the episode here.

Subscribe to the video encores as a podcast, and in iTunes!

And of course get all the show notes at the original post from last year.

 

If you haven’t seen it yet, you must enjoy this video Veronica shot of George R. R. Martin interrupting Paul and Storm as they sing “Write Like the Wind.” (If you don’t know, the song lyrics start “George R. R. Martin please write and write faster, you’re not going to get any younger you know–“) Martin smashes Storm’s guitar and then a surprise guest appears. 

Download the episode here.

Subscribe to the video encores as a podcast, and in iTunes!

And of course get all the show notes at the original post from last year.

We record an episode live in front of an audience of awesome folks from at Nerdtacular 2013.  Since we’re still just getting into Ringworld, we save more substantive discussion of that for later this month and talk about what else we’re reading.  get ready to enlarge your reading lists because we had some amazing suggestions from the audience! 

 QUICK BURNS

Help Seattle to name a park after Octavia Butler
You Can Explore Harry Potter’s Diagon Alley on Street View Now

Iain M. Banks Gets Asteroid Named After Him

CALENDAR

BOOK CHECK-IN – What else we’re reading!

Veronica

Love Minus Eighty by Will McIntosh
Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury
Necessary Evil by Ian Tregillis

Tom

Great North Road by Peter F. Hamilton
Abaddon’s Gate by James S. A. Corey

***** 

Direct file download for this show!

 

 

Download the episode here.

Subscribe to the video encores as a podcast, and in iTunes!

And of course get all the show notes at the original post from last year.

 

Tom blows Veronica’s mind, she implies dirty things, I imply them back and we all look forward to Ringworld.  It’s like going to camp.

WHAT ARE WE DRINKING?

Tom: Murphy’s Irish Stout

Veronica: Hendry Ranch Pinot Gris

QUICK BURNS

Science Fiction and Fantasy Author Richard Matheson Dead At 87

2013 Science Fiction Hall of Fame Inductees

WINNERS: 2013 Locus Awards

Your First Look at the Epic Fantasy Novel Everybody’s Raving About

Neil Gaiman’s ‘Sandman’ prequel launching October 30th, first image and plot details emerge

Online Voting is Open for The 2013 Hugo Award and John W. Campbell Award

Why Big Publishers Think Genre Fiction Like Sci-Fi Is the Future of E-Books

Pop Culture References You Probably Didn’t Know Were Created by Science Fiction Writers

CALENDAR

TV, MOVIES AND VIDEO GAMES

William Shakespeare’s Star Wars: exclusive excerpt

OUTLANDER TV series greenlit

BOOK KICK-OFF

Kick-off Ringworld by Larry Niven

Ringworld Wikipedia article

Larry Niven Wikipedia Article

Official Larry Niven site

The Guide to Larry Niven’s Ringworld

Interactive guide to Ringworld (includes a kind of Google Maps for the Ring)

Don’t forget : ‘Ringworld’ miniseries in the works at Syfy

Alternate Pick – Redshirts by John Scalzi

BOOK WRAP-UP

Wrap-up Among Others by Jo Walton

Anyone else get this through Interlibrary loan? – Erik

Who Died? – Paulo

Magic In the book – Nathan

The books! All those books! – Rob

Novels mentioned in Among Others

ADDENDUMS 

This podcast is brought to you by Audible.com the internet’s leading provider of audiobooks with more than 100,000 downloadable titles across all types of literature and featuring audio versions of many New York Times Best Sellers. For listeners of this podcast, Audible is offering a free audiobook, to give you a chance to try out their service. For a free audiobook of your choice go to audiblepodcast.com/sword.  

And by: Squarespace, the all-in-one platform that makes it fast and easy to create a professional  website, blog, portfolio, or online store.  For a free trial and 10% off your first purchase on new accounts, go to Squarespace.com, and use offer code SWORD7.

Direct download link for the show here!

Download the episode here.

Subscribe to the video encores as a podcast, and in iTunes!

And of course get all the show notes at the original post from last year.

 

Wow. That was a more exciting election since Iran’s last week. We even got insinuations of voter fraud! We’ve made it!

So right down to the wire Larry Niven’s Ringworld just barely edged out John Scalzi’s Redshirts.

Neither is a perfect choice for everyone. We’ve done Mr. Scalzi’s books as a main pick recently and as an alternate book previously so he’s had lots of coverage. on the other hand there does not seem to be a legit ebook of Ringwolrd (there are print copies and audio copies) which is a deal killer for some.

So here’s what the electoral commission has decided. Ringworld got the most votes. It’s our pick for July. But for the first time since before we went to a strict monthly schedule, we will have an OFFICIAL alternate pick. The votes were just too damn close.

So get out there and read whichever one you like. I’ll be diving into both and I know Veronica already has read Redshirts.

And remember no book pick is ever going to please everyone in this club. It’s not meant to. It’s meant to expose you to books you might not pick up otherwise. And if you’re grumbling about not having an ebook, remember the people who often grumble that the book is not in the library and they don’t have ereaders. We’re all in this together.

Now go enjoy some reading!

*In absence of Veronica who is on vacation electroal commission consisted of Tom and his two dogs. 

  

Sketch of Gene Wolfe by Murray Ewing

Were you expecting a wrap-up episode for Among Others? Sorry kids, Veronica decided to go on vacation, and all you get is this lousy interview with legendary author Gene Wolfe. Just kidding, the interview is awesome. 

We’ll be back next week with our wrap-up and kick-off for the July pick!  Hope you voted!

Download the direct link for this episode!