Thumbing Through Yesterday

In Conquest Born is the first novel by C.S.Friedman, one of Tom's favorite authors, and marks her fantastic appearance in the realm of published sci-fi. There are so many Big Ideas crammed into this book that it's hard to give a meaningful summary, but suffice to say it's mighty fine space opera.

Marooned in Realtime is Tony's pick, and wraps up our Vinge Binge for now. A first read for Tom, this is a direct sequel to The Peace War, set a mere 50 million years after those events. TTYpodcast.comThumbingthroughyesterday.com

At the Mountains of Madness by HP Lovecraft is Tom's choice this time. Mountains is perhaps the most objective look into Lovecraft's universe of cosmic horror. When an Antarctic expedition from Miskatonic University discovers the remains of a sprawling alien civilization from pre-Cambrian times, what horrors will be unearthed? It's best we hope never to find out!TTYpodcast.comThumbingthroughyesterday.com

A Deepness in the Sky by Vernor Vinge is the (pre) sequel to A Fire Upon the Deep, which we visited in episode 91. Although a first read, Tom chose this because he couldn't bear to abandon Vinge's Qeng Ho series. And what a worthy prequel! Typical Vinge, with lots of Big Ideas, compelling plots, and characters he clearly wants you to like.TTYpodcast.comThumbingthroughyesterday.com

Lord Valentine's Castle by Robert Silverberg is Tony's pick this time. A lengthy science fantasy tome, it follows the adventures of Valentine, an amnesiac juggler, as he uncovers the mystery of his identity and his destiny. The first novel in the Majipoor series, this was quite a read!TTYpodcast.comThumbingthroughyesterday.com

The Peace War, by Vernor Vinge, is a favorite that Tom hasn't revisited in decades. Talk about dusting off a long-forgotten classic! Turns out that "forgotten" really applies in this case. Other than bobbles, neither of us remembered much about this book. But what a fun read!TTYpodcast.comThumbingthroughyesterday.com

Podkayne of Mars is one of Robert Heinlein's juvenile series and Tony's pick for this episode. Join us as we explore Heinlein’s take on growing up in the stars, the clash between idealism and cynicism, and whether this “juvenile” novel has more bite than expected. Is Podkayne a proto-feminist hero or a relic of her author’s era? And what’s up with that ending?TTYpodcast.comThumbingthroughyesterday.com

Lord of the Flies, the debut novel of William Golding, is something you probably encoutered in grade school. Tom did, and it stuck with him over the decades. Join us as we visit this iconic vision of youth gone wild! TTYpodcast.comThumbingthroughyesterday.com

Liar’s Poker by Michael Lewis is Tony’s pick this time around, and definitely not Tom’s usual fare. This insider look at the world of 1980s Wall Street is fast-paced, brash, and unapologetically chaotic. Lewis takes us deep into the bond trading boom, where arrogance and ambition collide in a game that’s part strategy, part swagger. Did Tom survive the ride? Tune in and see.TTYpodcast.comThumbingthroughyesterday.com

Moby Dick by Herman Melville is Tom’s pick for this episode, and let’s just say… the whale wasn’t the only one dragging. Tony hadn’t read it since his English Lit days and didn’t make it to the end this time, while Tom powered through on deadline. The result? Probably not our most polished review, but a fun and honest one nonetheless. Join us as we harpoon what we can from this literary leviathan.TTYpodcast.comThumbingthroughyesterday.com

A Fire Upon the Deep by Vernor Vinge is Tony’s pick this time; a long-time favorite of his and a first read for Tom. And wow… mind blown. From galaxy-spanning civilizations to pack-mind aliens and zones of thought, this book throws big ideas at you from page one and never lets up. Join us as we explore one of the most ambitious space operas ever written.TTYpodcast.comThumbingthroughyesterday.com

Dream Park by Larry Niven & Steven Barnes is Tom’s pick this time around, a favorite from his high school days. What brought it back to mind? A parody of the Beatles’ Norwegian Wood, of all things. (Yes, he still sings it.) This early blend of LARPing, sci-fi, and mystery takes us into a futuristic amusement park where the games are immersive, the stakes are high, and the lines between play and reality blur fast. Does it hold up? Join us and find out!TTYpodcast.comThumbingthroughyesterday.com

The Magicians by Lev Grossman is Tony's pick this time, the first of a trilogy about some of the worst people you'll ever encounter. Brilliant, bitter, and brimming with magic, this book asks what happens when power isn’t given to heroes… but to real, damaged, deeply flawed humans. A tough read for Tom, this one made both hosts ask: What happens when you strip fantasy of its wonder and fill it with people you wouldn’t want to share an elevator with?TTYpodcast.comThumbingThroughYesterday.com

Eaters of the Dead by Michael Crichton is Tom's pick. Is it really "the least Crichtony Crichton novel?" Maybe. But both Tom and Tony love this, Crichton's response to a dare to make the epic poem Beowulf entertaining. Does he succeed? Not, perhaps, in the way you might expect.TTYpodcast.comThumbingthroughyesterday.com

Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban by J.K. Rowling is Tony's pick this time around. The third book in the series, this one shows a depth and complexity that was missing from the first two. Plus, we begin to dance with some actual darkness. A first read for Tom, Azkaban starts to explore some of the potential the earlier books ignored.TTYpodcast.comThumbingthroughyesterday.com

On The Beach by Nevil Shute is an early,chilling tale of nuclear warning. After just 30 days of missles and bombs, the entire northern hemisphere is irradiated and lifeless. Radioactive dust drifts slowly south... and the rest of the world waits to die. A first read for Tony, this hauntingly beautiful and depressing book is a favorite of Tom's. TTYpodcast.comThumbingthroughyesterday.com

The Anubis Gates by Tim Powers is a mind-bending blend of historical fiction and fantasy, where 20th-century scholar Brendan Doyle is unexpectedly transported back to 19th-century London. Amid a world of magic, time travel, and intrigue, Doyle must navigate a city brimming with strange powers and dangerous figures, all while trying to survive and find a way back to his own time. A favorite of Tony, Tom loved his first trip through this convoluted story. TTYpodcast.com Thumbingthroughyesterday.com

The Good Shepherd by CS Forester is a thrilling, tension-packed story set during WWII. Commander George Krause heads a 4-ship defense force escorting a convoy of 37 unarmed merchant ships across the Atlantic. They run afoul of a German submarine wolf pack, and are harried for days as Krause struggles to save both ships and lives for the Allies. A first-read for Tony, Tom loves this action-pack adventure. TTYpodcast.com Thumbingthroughyesterday.com

Roger Zelazny's Roadmarks is a bizarre book about time travel. And magic. And dragons. And sentient AI. And cars. And dinosaurs. A favorite of Tony's, this is a first-read for Tom. What an adventure! TTYpodcast.com Thumbingthroughyesterday.com

Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep is one of Phillip K. Dick's best-known novels, and the basis for the Bladerunner film franchise. Tom loves this book, but what's Tony's take? And how do the big ideas from 1968 hold up in the 21st century? TTYpodcast.com Thumbingthroughyesterday.com