S&L Podcast - #523 - Ship Happens
/Should the Floating Hotel be called a “space cruise ship”? Why Veronica can't make change. Tom tries not to insult Stephen's intelligence. And hoorah for N. K. Jemisin!
WHAT ARE WE NOMMING?
Tom: Garlic butter shrimp mashed potatoes
Veronica: Protein Latte from Timmy's
QUICK BURNS
Any news or announcements
Paul:
The Goodreads Choice Awards are up, as anyone currently on Goodreads probably already knows. I was going to share the links but that seems pointless.
There's only 1 S&L pick up for an award this year: The Devils by Joe Abercrombie. I guess that means the lists have a lot of potential future S&L picks. I personally haven't read any of the Sci-Fi books, which is a first for me in many years.
I noticed some prominent themes though: The Fantasy section has at least 5 books with an academic setting (the Harry Potter generation is all grown up now, after all) and the sci-fi section has at least 5 books to do with manipulating memories, and if we want to speak more generally about not having control over our minds, then there's even more (maybe because the zeitgeist these days is “Am I losing my mind?”)
Here's the school books:
• Katabasis
• Alchemy of Secrets
• The Incandescent
• The Raven Scholar
• King Sorrow
Memory books:
• Dissolution
• These Memories Do Not Belong to Us
• The Memory Collectors
• The Merge
• The Book of Lost Hours
Additional titles alluding to memory themes:
• The Once and Future Me
• I Think We've Been Here Before
• The Dream Hotel
Seth:
The Science Fiction Writers Association names N. K. Jemisin as their 2025 Grand Master.
Mark notes:
We read The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms as a regular pick and The Fifth Season as an alt pick. The last seven Grand Masters are all women. William Gibson was the last man to receive the award.
N. K. Jemisin — SFWA Grand Master
Mark:
China Miéville has a new book, The Rouse, coming September 2026. Haven't we read it?
Picador unveils China Miéville’s new novel
Matt Dinniman:
New book Operation Bounce House coming February 10, 2026 — and it's not about Carl and Donut!
A man must fight for his planet against impossible odds when gamers from Earth attempt to remotely annihilate it...
Mark:
Fonda Lee discusses her forthcoming novel The Last Contract of Isako, available for pre-order and coming May 5, 2026.
A battle-worn corporate samurai undertakes one last mission on a merciless planet where death is always a mere breath away, in this standalone dystopian epic from the author of Jade City.
TO SERVE IS TO LIVE. TO LIVE IS TO DIE.
I'm all in on this one.
BARE YOUR SWORD
Feedback from the audience
Tamahome:
The Tainted Cup has the most Goodreads ratings of Robert Jackson Bennett’s books.
Jen:
I just got back from a mini vacation where I started reading The Tainted Cup and I am loving it too. The world is so wonderfully weird and I am loving the dynamic between the two main characters.
John:
RJB is one of my favourite authors — I was introduced to him when this group read City of Stairs and for that I owe you a big thank you.
It is worth noting that The Tainted Cup won the Hugo for Best Novel in 2025 — that is a big ol' dollop of kudos from the community. :-)
Papa MRF:
I am probably in the small minority who squealed when Veronica shouted out Jonathan Coulton, the musician who sings “Tom Cruise Crazy,” but is probably better known for co-hosting the long-running NPR podcast Ask Me Another, where he composed quiz-show questions mostly in the format of musical parodies.
As for his songs, his top 2 most popular are “Re: Brains” and “Code Monkey.”
Tamahome:
Coulton also created the song for Portal in the voice of GLaDOS, “Still Alive.”
Jesse:
Hi,
Wondering if the RSS feed is no longer utilized. I was able to download episode 522 directly but do not see it in my refreshed feed.
BOOK OF THE MONTH DISCUSSION
Floating Hotel by Grace Curtis
Amazon link
Bookshop link
Ruth:
I was interested by Tom's description of the influences on TFH. I am a huge fan of Casablanca, but I'm not really feeling the influence on TFH. I am noticing the influence of Girl, Woman, Other though.
(Explanation of the novel and similarities preserved exactly as written.)
Stephen:
I am 70% in and I get the Casablanca vibe. What I do not get is the concept. Are not Floating Hotels really just Cruise Ships? And that aspect is completely ignored. Maybe the last 30% will save it for me.
SeréTW:
I fully intended to check in mid-read, but this was such a cozy read that before I knew it I was done.
When you're done and you're ready to discuss the book overall, come back here and let's chat.
Questions included:
• Who were your favorite characters?
• Did anything surprise you?
• How do you feel about the ending?
• Do you think there will be a sequel?
• Would you like one?
John Taloni:
Who else has worked in restaurants? I did for years in high school/college. It was overall a bad experience. This book is giving me flashbacks. Anyone else out there?
ADDENDUMS
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