The Sword and Laser

We speculate on how James Cameron will make The Devils and whether Frankenstein will be too scary for Veronica. And we further kick off The Lives of Tao.

We discuss the return of Jim Butcher’s Dresden Files and Frank Herbert’s posthumous SFWA Infinity Award, Audible’s AI narration plans and Amazon’s cancellation of The Wheel of Time—while nominating hamburg steak and vegan enchiladas and sharing listener stories from Matt Dinniman’s event. We round out the show with in-depth discussions of The Lives of Tao and Mickey 7.

From Hugo admins resigning over AI panel vetting to the latest award winners and a fresh Murderbot clip—to set the stage for our book club pick. Then we dig into Mickey 7’s Ship of Theseus dilemma, sharing listener takes (yes, even foot‑fetishting AIs) and the questions that keep us up at night.

We wrap up Dungeon Crawler Carl, including our horrible imitations of Jeff Hays. Plus, we announce the next pick for May and ponder data-driven determinations of the best SFF books of Tom’s life.

Excitement brews over the new Murderbot trailer and the Hugo nominees! The hosts reflect on the importance of libraries and share their favorite reads from the shortlist. Cheese adventures take a humorous twist, with tales from Mars Cheese Castle. They dive into the fascinating world of 'Dungeon Crawler Carl,' exploring its unique narration and character depth. Engaging discussions about the narrative complexities in gaming and literature highlight relatable character experiences. Nostalgia blends seamlessly with community love as they celebrate their podcasting journey.

Tom forgot to write the intro to the show this week, so you’re stuck with the Veronica Edition. March is still full of madness, which makes sense because it’s a full moon eclipse coming up and Venus is in retrograde. Or something! We check in on The City and The City by China Miéville, and we see and unsee your perspectives on the book thus far.

March Madness has begun, so get your votes in now. Plus do we like Alexander Skarsgard as Murderbot? And our final thoughts on Will of the Many and non-spoiler intro to The City and the City.

Join a lively discussion about the cozy comfort of tomato soup and grilled cheese as rain sets the mood. Dive into the excitement of a local hot chocolate festival and the upcoming March tournament for book nominations. Explore the art of writing book blurbs, and share literary gift ideas that spark joy. Reflect on diverse reading experiences, including 'The Will of the Many,' while navigating the significance of supporting authors. Finally, uncover the intrigue of polymath protagonists and their impact on contemporary storytelling.

We have the best 25 books coming out in the next six months and the best 25 books of the last 25 years. Goodbye to the Science Fiction Book Club, our final thoughts on The Ministry of Time, and we kick off our read of The Will of the Many.

Tom is safe. Stephen has had three New Years, and we all love Graham Gore. But the best part of the show is Veronica's parade of diseases.