S&L Podcast - #380 - The One Where Veronica Forgets

We invited Andrew Heaton, Host of Alienating the Audience, to join us! Oh Dune… is there any wrong way to enjoy you? Possibly yes. We also wrap up How to Lose the Time War.

Download directly here!

WHAT ARE WE DRINKING?

Tom: Lagavulin 16

Veronica: Four Point KSA

Andrew: Vita Coco Coconut Water

QUICK BURNS

Jan - Vanity Fair has released a first look at Denis Villeneuve's (Arrival, Blade Runner 2049) movie adaptation of Frank Herbert's Dune with Timothée Chalamet (Little Women) as Paul Atreides.

In addition to some set photos the article reports that the novel will be split into two movies and of course focus on Paul's story, but will also expand the role of Paul's mother, Lady Jessica, played by Rebecca Ferguson (Mission: Impossible – Rogue Nation) and in general feature female characters more prominently.

The planned release date in the US is December 18, 2020

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Mark - You can now download the first act of Harrow the Ninth by Tamsyn Muir in your preferred ebook format

The article says that release day is 2 Jun 2020 contradicting earlier notices about a delay, so I dunno!

Edit: Amazon still says release day us 4 Aug 2020 which was the delayed date.

Another edit: Act One is Free

Yet another edit: if you're counting, this is the fourth edit since the original post. One edit didn't get an edit tag

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Jan - Tor.com has revealed the title of a new solar-punk novella series by Becky Chambers (The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet).

According to Tor "Monk & Robot" is about "Sibling Dex, a tea monk, who travels the land meeting villagers and townspeople. They tell Dex their woes while Dex brews them tea, custom-blended to their individual needs and personalities. But when Dex meets Mosscap one day, their life is turned upside-down. Mosscap is a robot (and everyone knows that robots are a myth from the dim and distant past, and never actually existed), and it wants to know “What does humanity need?” Cue: the most delightful road trip you could wish for!"

The first book "Psalm for the Wild-Built" will be published in May 2021.

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Mark - A new online SF anthology about people remotely exploring the world...

Avatars Inc edited by Ann VanderMeer

Includes short stories by James S.A. Corey, Ken Liu, Sarah Pinsker, Aliette de Bodard and others. You can read the stories online or download EPUB or PDF of the full anthology.

Authors can submit a short story for a chance to win a new iMac Pro and other gadgets.

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Conal - For those interested, Dennis E. Taylor announced the Audible release date for the new Bobiverse book today...

@Dennis_E_Taylor
The release date for Heaven's River on Audible has been set for September 24th. Stephen - There are two Virtual Cons coming up that might be of interest.
QuaranCon2020 April 24-28

MaydayCon May 16

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Jenny: I just saw a new book by Katherine Addison (Goblin Emperor!) is coming out in June and it sounds intriguing but entirely different from the world of her previous novel. I know many of us were hoping for more in that world and maybe that will still happen someday.

Copied from publisher blurb:

"Katherine Addison, author of The Goblin Emperor, returns with a fantasy novel of alternate 1880s London, where killers stalk the night and the ultimate power is naming.

This is not the story you think it is. These are not the characters you think they are. This is not the book you are expecting.

In an alternate 1880s London, angels inhabit every public building, and vampires and werewolves walk the streets with human beings under a well-regulated truce. A fantastic utopia, except for a few things: Angels can Fall, and that Fall is like a nuclear bomb in both the physical and metaphysical worlds. And human beings remain human, with all their kindness and greed and passions and murderous intent.

Jack the Ripper stalks the streets of this London too. But this London has an Angel. The Angel of the Crows."

BARE YOUR SWORD

Feedback from the audienceSteve Mary
@SteveMary23
This is How You Lose the Time War is a must-read! I'm not sure if it was a poetry book or sci-fi set in a dreamlike universe that words could barely grasp. Probably both. Thank you
@swordandlaser and thank you March Madness voters for this pick! Go for Hugo Awards!

Have you been reading more books in quarantine or less?

Only a bit of Dune

BOOK OF THE MONTH DISCUSSION

Next month pick: Magician: Apprentice by Raymond E. Feist

WRAP UP

This is How You Lose the Time War by Amal El-Mohtar and Max Gladstone

Did I win the Time War? Or did I lose it?

Red v Blue

This is Why I Love the Time War

ADDENDUMS

Our show is currently entirely funded by our patrons. 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 - #378 - Ointment for Your Brain

The Hugo Nominees are in! And we've read some fo them! Also, the Nebula Nominees are in and we've read some of them too! And we have thoughts on the beauty of this month's pick, This is How You Lose the Time War.

Download directly here!

WHAT ARE WE DRINKING?

Tom: Bubly - Blackberry flavor
Veronica: Haus

QUICK BURNS

Mark: 2020 Hugo nominees announced.

2020 Nebula Nomineees (virtual presentation coming May 30)

Jan: Tor.com reports that a new novel from Andy Weir (The Martian) is set to be released spring next year. "Project Hail Mary" is a twisty story about a lone astronaut on a spaceship tasked with saving Earth. Also, MGM is in exclusive negotiation to adapt the novel as a movie with Ryan Gosling attached to produce and play the astronaut.

Kenley: A new activity for while in quarantine. Join your favorite authors on Zoom where you can have spirited discussions from the privacy of our own quarantined space! With the Quarantine Book Club.
So far in the scifi/fantasy realm, they've had Cory Doctorow (April 1). Up next in our categories is Tim Maughan, author of Infinite Detail on April 9 and Madeline Ashby, author of reV on April 15.
Looks like the series is happening almost every day. The cost is $5 or free if you can't afford even that low price.

Mark: Divergent Author Veronica Roth Sells Film Rights to Upcoming Adult Novel Chosen Ones

Jan: This has to be my favorite themed award I never heard of!

Tor.com reports that the winners of the 2019 Kitschies have been announced! Apparently the Kitschies are "the annual tentacle-themed prize for works containing elements of the 'speculative and fantastic'.

The winner of the "Red Tentacle"" for Best Novel is The Fire Starters by Jan Carson (who is apparently a woman),
the winner of the ""Golden Tentacle"" for Best Debut is Jelly by Clare Rees, and
the winner of the ""Inky Tentacle"" for Best Cover Art is The Memory Police designed by Tyler Comrie

Unfortunately though, none of the winners seem to actually contain any tentacle based narrative (although, do jellyfish have tentacles?).

BARE YOUR SWORD

"Light book selections"

Dear Veronica & Tom,

I took advantage of the Uncanny Collections special on Brain McClellan's website. They’re short novels but easy and a lot of fun urban fantasy.

Also when I need a break from Sci-Fi and Fantasy novel like after a Wheel of Time novel, I reach for a Stephanie Plum novel (there around 25 of them). Light novels about bounty hunter, who has terrible luck in her field. The nice part is they don't need to be read in order. I recommend starting with book 6, since that is when the character of Bob the dog shows up.

Good luck with all the craziness out there.

David



Genesee Rickel @gmrickel
Finally finished February’s @swordandlaser pick. THE LIGHTNING BRIGADE: a tough read during COVID, relentlessly gritty & dark, excellent social commentary, a mindfuck of a timeline that requires your attention, and it all ends with a bang (or a blink :wink:). So awesome! :star: :star: :star: :star:

Beth Mitcham @MitchamBeth
@swordandlaser I read this one ahead of you!"
THIS IS HOW YOU LOSE THE TIME WAR, Amal El-Mohtar, Max Gladstone. Two trained operatives from opposing sides suddenly (slowly) and desperately discover emotions and each other and try to rewrite the world with love language. Language is power.


BOOK OF THE MONTH DISCUSSION

Hugo nominee: This is How You Lose the Time War by Amal El-Mohtar and Max Gladstone

Duel Authorship

Poetry or Novel or Novel in Poem Form?