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
Get published with Sword & Laser on Inkshares!
Good news, everyone! You know we love Inkshares, and now we’ve partnered with them to kick off their Collections. What does this mean?
To debut the Sword & Laser Collection on Inkshares, we will publish the five science fiction and fantasy projects with the most pre-orders by May 31st, 2015. Sword & Laser will choose their personal favorite from the top five and make it the debut book in their Collection.
The debut Sword & Laser Collection author will receive an interview on the Sword & Laser podcast. All five winners will receive a coaching session from Gary Whitta, Star Wars: Rogue One co-writer and author of Abomination, in addition to having their book published and distributed into independent bookstores, Amazon, Apple, and Barnes & Noble.
You can read all about the content over on Inkshares. Can’t wait to see what you guys are working on!
S&L Podcast – #212 – Do You Have the Right to Delete Swear Words?
We give our last thoughts on The Goblin Emperor, kick of our April pick, Wyrd Sisters by Terry Pratchett and discuss why some author names are bigger than their titles. But what really gets this episode going is the debate about whether a reader has the right to “clean up” an author’s language.
WHAT ARE WE DRINKING?
Tom: Suntory Hakushu 12 Year Old
Veronica: Nikka Taketsuru Pure Malt 12yr
QUICK BURNS
Rob: James Marsters fans rejoice! They are releasing a new audio version of Ghost Story read by Marsters.
David (LA, CA) Steven Spielberg to Direct Ready Player One.
Mark: Clean Reader, a profanity-free ereader, best explained by Chuck Wendig
Yento: This wasn’t unexpected but HBO confirmed they will finish Game of Thrones first.
Trike: Game Of Thrones May Circle Back To Characters And Plots That Were Skipped
Carl Poppa
BARE YOUR SWORD
Is it still about the author or is it about the title?
BOOK OF THE MONTH DISCUSSION
Kick off Wyrd Sisters by Terry Pratchett
Wrap up The Goblin Emperor by Katherine Addison
Oh you poor villains…
In the end I liked this book
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 – #211 – Why Peter V. Brett Empathizes with George RR Martin
We talk with Peter V. Brett about his new book, cool tattoos and the last enjoyable book he read. The Skull Throne, 4th in the Demon Cycle series, comes out March 31, 2015.
William Gibson on VR: "They did it!"
just now, William Gibson tries VR headset for the 1st time."they did it!" w/ @arikuschnir @amandapalmer @GreatDismal pic.twitter.com/Vi0sAHAUH6
— perry chen (@perrychen) March 20, 2015
William Gibson, author of seminal cyberpunk novel Neuromancer, tries out a virtual reality headset and deems this iteration of cyberspace up to snuff. Hey, if he’s happy, we’re happy!
S&L Podcast – #210 – Are You the Goblin Emperor?
We bid adieu to Terry Pratchett and commemorate him with one more book pick next month. We cheer for Chuck Wendig being picked for the next Star Wars novel. And we wonder if we are too much like the Goblin Emperor. Are you?
QUICK BURNS
Paul: Terry Pratchett has passed away
Sandra: There will be one more DiscWorld novel
Dara: Gollancz plans to publish The Thorn of Emberlain by the end of 2015. They also revealed the cover.
Alpha Young Writers scholarship drive
Dara: HBO wants 10 seasons of Game of Thrones
Mark: George RR Martin is sad but cancels WorldCon Saratoga and ComicCon “(Should I complete and deliver WINDS OF WINTER before these cons roll round, I reserve the right to change my mind).”
Joanna: Lois McMaster Bujold just announced that she has sold a book about Cordelia Vorkosigan to Baen, titled “Gentleman Jole and the Red Queen” and tentatively scheduled for February 2016.
Sky: 20 new books will be released in the new Star Wars universe in a series dubbed “Journey to Star Wars: The Force Awakens”, that span multiple publishers and age groups and fills in the gaps between Return of the Jedi and the upcoming The Force Awakens. Including Chuck Wendig! — Details on the first standalone Star Wars movie including the title “Rogue One” and director and release date for episode VIII: Rian Johnson / May 26, 2017
Tamahome : Station Eleven a finalist to be nominated for the Faulkner
BARE YOUR SWORD
Hey guys, just heard your podcast for the first time and really enjoyed it.
I’m a designer and concept artist that works in film and games and just thought I’d share the fact that I just finished working with Denis (Den-ee) on his upcoming sci fi film The Story of Your Life which will star Amy Adams and Jeremy Renner.
I can’t say anything about the movie i just worked on, but I wanted to voice my support for Denis as the choice to direct the new Bladerunner. People may not be super familiar with him, but if they watch his films, they’ll see that he’s could do a great job with it. He’s got a kind of dark, gritty style and , fingers crossed, could be what this new Bladerunner film needs. I really like the idea of a less “Hollywood” type of director tackling this story.
Anyway, thanks! And if you’d like to see what kind of fantasy and scifi design work I do, please check out my site: www.theartofpeterkonig.com
-Peter
—
March Madness SF/Fantasy Style
BOOK OF THE MONTH DISCUSSION
The Goblin Emperor by Katherine Addison
Next time we’ll kick off a Terry Pratchett book. Watch the goodreads group for the announcement of which one
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 – #209 – The Secret to Inventing Your Own Language
Sarah Monette, a.k.a. Katherine Addison, tells us why you’re all right about the Goblin Emperor, why the wizards in the book are so stubborn about using magic, and shares tips for inventing a language.