The Sword and Laser

We talk to author R. A. Salvatore about his new book Timeless, and also how he feels these days about Chewbacca, Dungeons and Dragons and more. Timeless is out September 4. Pick it up in the Salvastore! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We lost the Hugos and it was AWESOME! Plus we have great news about a new novel coming from Rivers Solomon, and a new ebookstore from Wal-Mart. Plus we kick off Slan by A. E. van Vogt and our final thoughts on Jade City. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

SFF readers have more mature relationship views. It's science. And hey! We're still Hugo-nominated! Will we stay that way or become winners? Who can say? But we have other things to say, like what we think of Jade City by Fonda Lee. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Tor vs. Library saga continues, we're pumped for the World Fantasy Award nominees, and the serendipity of reading a book about the place you are at while you're reading it. Trust us. It will make sense in the show. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We're excited about new monsters and solarpunk but mostly we're excited about Mortal Engines! Except for all the murder. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We team up with Mallory and Brea from Reading Glasses for a supercollaboration with reading advice, emails, and discussion of Mortal Engines. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Why we think Amazon may have been cribbing off us, the reality TV connection to ancient Greece, and the raging 2X audiobook debate speeds along. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A database of all the stories, Stranger Things enters the tie-in book world, a debate about speed-listening, and what Veronica REALLY thinks about Zeus. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We're very excited about the Expanse coming back and Gail Carriger's plans and that the "What are we drinking" segment got a good review! Plus the different takes on mythology from our two latest book picks. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Brian McClellan joins us to talk about his latest book, Wrath of Empire (second book in the Gods of Blood and Powder series). Plus we find out why he may not want to time travel, and what his writing kryptonite is! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

So many awards! Locus, Scribe, Parsec, oh my! Plus why we think maybe it's OK to read the 21 books you shouldn't read, and we kick off Tanith Lee's amazing Night's Master. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Have you ever walked into a book store and just froze? Us too. We'll talk you through it. Plus we announced the May book pick and Tanith Lee fans will be happy! Because it's by Tanith Lee! Also the wrap-up for We Are Legion (We are Bob). Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We are SO excited to be nominated for the Hugos! Thank you! Also the return of the Expanse and why Amazon will spend $1 billion on a Middle Earth show. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The March tournament was so much fun, and in the end we'll read We Are Legion (We Are Bob) which is an appropriately fun book. We also talk about other podcasts that are cool to listen to, plus our last thoughts on the beautiful complexity of An Unkindness of Ghosts. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

More Pratchett TV coming, and more Rothfuss books? Plus more deep discussion about an Unkindness of Ghosts, including why blurbs may lead you astray. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Tom tries to convince Veronica to fight hate, but A Wrinkle In Time has her questioning love's power. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hey the Hugo nominations are open and you can vote for us! Also Firefly is coming back as books. And the Hugo nominations are open and you can vote for us. Plus StoryBundle has an awesome set of books called Black Narratives! And the Hugo nominations are open and you can vote for us. Oh and the Locus Awards are open for voting. That one... you can't vote for us. But you can vote for us in the Hugos. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We share our memories and thoughts on the passing of Ursula K. Leguin. We also talk about how silly it is to think anybody but George R. R. Martin truly knows the release date for Winds of Winter, and discover the true villain of Mary Shelley's Frankenstein. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Goodbye Shannara, hello The Blade Itself TV show? Also Moby Dick and Philip K Dick have different problems, and what the monster in Frankenstein might truly represent. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It's a whole new year of books, and we have some suggestions! Plus the science behind Westeros and the amazing 200-year-old Mary Shelley. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ready Player One may have a sequel, The Witcher TV show has a show runner, and we have no bones to pick with California Bones. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

#312 - Eating Bones for Fun and Magic by Tom Merritt and Veronica Belmont Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week we have a lot to say about wine, some to say about Amazon's Lord of the Rings series and loads to say as we wrap up Connie Willis' Doomsday Book. Plus we kind of sort of kick off December's Book, California Bones. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

OMG. Patrick Rothfuss is best buds with Lin-Manuel Miranda and they're doing a TV prequel to Kingkiller Chronicles, while Felicia Day plays Poppy the Dragonologist AND Amazon wants to do a Tolkien series. And that doesn't even begin to shed light on how good our book pick Doomsday Book is. But the piece de resistance of the show is one man's story of losing power and trying to read. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We’re happy for Chuck Wendig and sad for the passing of Roy Dotrice and Julian May. And we’re also debating whether side conversations are a good literary device. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

That’s right, Sword and Laser has been picking and reading books for 10 years and we’re not even close to stopping. This week we discuss why you don’t need to travel to London to read Theodora Goss but it doesn’t hurt. And why we’re extra excited for Andy Weir’s Artemis. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Good Omens looks good, Annihilation looks great, our last thoughts on Helliconia Spring, and why we’re reading about monsters in October. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Annalee Newitz joins us on the show to talk about her new novel Autonomous. We discuss indentured robot servitude, the archaeological digs she's digging right now, and what the future of our economy could look like! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Martin Studies International Network will help you study Westeros better, Scott Lynch gives hope for the next Locke Lamora book and sadly, we lose a great one in Jerry Pournelle, Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We say goodbye to Brian W. Aldiss by reading one of his books. We respect Terry Pratchett's Steamroller wishes. And why Hey Jude is not an anachronism. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

All the best books are being adapted into TV shows and movies including Good Omens, The City and the City, Dawn, and The Fifth Season! Plus we dive into the Gunslinger and talk mostly spoiler-free about fantasy westerns. And BONUS song about our Goodreads moderator, Rob. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We talk with author Daniel H. Wilson about his book, Clockwork Dynasty and why we might not need to fear the robots. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hot Pie has a bakery! Ready Player One has a trailer! The Rook has a TV show! This episode has a final word on butterscotch! And the man in black has a gunslinger following him! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hey kids, Nnedi Okorafor has an HBO show coming, EW and Tor have LOADS of book recommendations and we love the world created by Ursula K. Le Guin. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It's windy but in among the breeze, N.K. Jemisin shares wisdom about writing, characters and wrapping up the Broken Earth Trilogy. Plus she accidentally brings up FanFic and talks about why, even though it can be more than practice, it's really good for honing your writing. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

George R. R. Martin has even more money coming his way, public domain books clean up nice, we love the Locus Award winners, and why Veronica is not allowed to let a bear eat her. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

New Game of Thrones Trailer! AHHHHH! Levar Burton reading stories on a new podcast! AHHHH! Haint plot hole in the Hum and the Shiver-- ahhhhh— maybe not that big a deal? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We talk to Ty Franck and Daniel Abraham, the authors that make up James S. A. Corey, about coffee, distilled and fermented beverages and making The Expanse a TV show at BayCon 2017. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Hugo nominees are out and we love them all, we kick off the Hum and the Shiver with music, and a spider that looks like a sorting hat. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We are excited about the winner of this year's Nebula, the finalists in the Locus awards, and so many TV shows coming from our favorite books. Plus, why Neil Gaiman will read a Cheesecake Factory Menu on stage. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We chat with author Cory Doctorow about his new novel Walkaway, which is post-apocalyptic, but not dystopian. It's also DRM-free! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We've got more of Game of Thrones TV coming, the Arthur C. Clarke Award nominees, and our thoughts on why The Long Way to a Small Angry Planet is the opposite of epic in the best way possible. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We talk with M. R. Carey about his new book The Boy on the Bridge, and how The Girl with All the Gifts became a movie! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Neil Gaiman makes sure the American Gods TV show is prepared for the sequel he hasn’t even written yet, why the Invisible Library doesn’t need to change the world to be awesome, and a plea for regular folks to get back to Fantasyland. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Matthew Isaac Sobin tells how his desire to write a beautiful story about the solar system, and how the aggressive encouragement of a friend led to the story of Jonathan, the Last Machine in the Solar System. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hugo Nominees are in! The African Speculative Fiction Society nominees are in! People pressuring you to read 200 books a year are in. But us slow readers draw the line. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A SciFi book is mysteriously returned after 35 years, at the same time a billionaire suddenly invests in brain implants and a skull begins to talk. Are these events connected somehow? Yes. They're all discussed in this episode along with Gateway by Frederick Pohl. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Author Brian McClellan talks with us about his new entry point into the Powder Mage universe, Sins of Empire, why there's no wrong order to reading his books, and his attitude toward research. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Sometimes a character does stuff you hate. And that’s OK! We explain why. Plus: great space opera, women writer picks, and some guy named Tom wrote a book too. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Brittany Curran, who plays Fen on The Magicians, talks about how her childhood love of C.S. Lewis has turned into a modern-day trip to Fillory. Plus, the best way to enjoy Walt Whitman! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.