The Sword and Laser

Taking a refreshing break from the norm, the hosts dive into the importance of supporting BIPOC and LGBTQIA authors while sharing their favorite reads. They balance humor with serious reflections on health challenges, including personal COVID-19 experiences. A playful culinary discussion introduces recipes like broccoli Alfredo pasta and Nika coffee whiskey. They also explore the cultural impact of 'The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy,' reminiscing about its humor and memorable quotes, preparing listeners for a delightful journey.

We wrap up our thoughts on A Night in the Lonesome October by Roger Zelazny. Tom lays down some very obscure hints about the next pick. And why we’re glad Andy Weir got fired.

We learn a lot about nunchucks and old best SciFi lists, but we spend the majority of our time mulling over Some Desperate Glory by Emily Tesh. We also kick off a cozy October horrorish read.

Sad news followed by recommendations from Parade Magazine! And The Booker Short List. Plus, do you hate it when a series isn't continuing the story directly? And we check in on our September read of Some Desperate Glory by Emily Tesh.

We have Dragon Awards and Hugo Awards, we kick off Some Desperate Glory, and wrap up our final thoughts on The Spear That Cuts Through Water. Also, we determine we might need to squee more.

This is not a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles podcast but it sure does end like one. But before it comes to that we boggle at all the awesome award winners, and talk about our good first impressions of The Spear That Cuts Through Water. Oh, and we have an idea for a cafe filled with Brandon Sanderson puns. Oh the puns!

Oh, Hugos. Also, the best Sci-Fi books of all time, and will AI kill the planet? We kick off our August book The Spear that Cuts Through Water, and wrap up our last thoughts on Cursed Bunny by Bora Chung.

We debate whether we want dead celebrities to read our audiobooks. How long is too long for a series? And our non-spoilery takes on Cursed Bunny.

Exploring award winners, adaptations, and book discussions. Highlights include Martha Wells' success, Nebula Awards, indie book awards, and insights into film adaptations. The hosts discuss 'Cursed Bunny' by Bora Chung and analyze 'The Sword of Kaigen' themes and character transformations. Discussions on pacing, magic systems, and multicultural identity in storytelling round out the podcast.

Are we living in a Maas society? Veronica has recommendations in joining on the Sarah J. Maas train. Independent bookstores are on the rise. We kick off The Sword of Kaigen and give our spoilery thoughts on Emily Wilde's Encyclopaedia of Faeries by Heather Fawcett.