The Sword and Laser

Read along with the Sword and Laser book club! From classic science fiction to the latest gritty fantasy, we cover it. Subscribe for book discussions, author interviews, hot releases, and news from the genre fiction world!

swordlaser500

We celebrate our 500th episode in the best way we know how—by asking ChatGPT to get our stats wrong. PLUS, announcing the book pick for December and sharing our final thoughts on The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy.

11-29
01:00:54

#499 - Hugs for Your Ears

We decided to take a break from the usual format and recommend some BIPOC and LGBTQIA authors. Plus, we kick off The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy in case you need some comic relief.

11-13
39:49

#498 - Weird Things With Burritos

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.

10-17
43:25

#497 - Some Desperate Sniffles

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.

10-03
56:21

#496 - Leminal Space

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.

09-19
34:07

#495 - All The News That's Fit to Squee

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.

09-05
36:05

#494 - Wheel of Thyme

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!

08-08
39:20

#493 - Bunny Lamps and Bad Decisions

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.

07-26
53:16

#492 - Smokey and the Narrator

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.

07-11
38:12

#491 - Next Month, Trauma!

It's awards season and we cover them all, including a Martha Wells sweep! We wrap up our thoughts on Sword of Kaigen and get excited (read: trigger warnings) for Cursed Bunny, our July pick.

06-27
56:37

#490 - Cosy Adjacent

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.

05-31
48:14

#489 - Emily Wilde's Encyclopaedia of Veronicas

We have Locus Award and Arthur C. Clarke award nominees. We share our non-spoilery thoughts on Emily Wilde's Encyclopaedia of Faeries by Heather Fawcett. And Tom discovers Birria Ramen!

05-17
33:37

#488 - Barrayar Your Sword

Some great books in the Seiun Awards in Japan, why Sword and Laser is good for your heart, we kick off the May pick, and finally wrap up our thoughts on the surprising complexity and depth of the awesome Cordelia's Honor.

05-02
47:19

#487 - Have We Reached Critical Maas?

OMG all of the top bestsellers are romantasy! What order should you read series in? Does it matter? Also why is Veronica telling Tom to suck it? Or did we misunderstand. Tune in and find out!

04-18
35:16

#486 - Pre-re-read

Will Veronica and Tom make it to Glasgow? Not after that embarrassing German pronunciation. And after talking some baseball, they dig into non-spoilery discussion of Cordelia's Honor.

04-08
34:20

#485 - Triangles Are Stronger

The Nebula Award nominees are out! Should we re-read Neuromancer? Veronica explains Type I, II, and III fun. The truth behind Cordelia's Honor. And our final thoughts on Iron Widow.

03-27
48:35

#484 - It's Giving "Mad"

We check in on who's winning the tournament. A vikings kids book! Where it's stabbing time! We talk a little bit about Iron Widow, and wrap up Shadow of the Gods.

03-07
48:34

#483 - C is for Chestburster

A few more thoughts on the Hugos, who would win in a fight between Maas and Yarros, and we preview our March Madness brackets!

02-23
44:14

#482 - Let's Talk About Seax, Baby

We've opened nominations for Mad Marchness!, our March tournament of book picks. Plus, the failure of the Hugos and the rise of Romantasy. And we begin our first impressions of Shadow of the Gods by John Gwynne.

02-09
54:47

#481 - Big Trouble in Little Worldcon

Surprise, there's a problem with hosting the Hugos in China. Plus: Keanu Reeves is co-writing with China Mieville, we kick off our February read, The Shadow of the Gods. And our spoilery thoughts on The Shining Girls by Lauren Beukes.

01-26
54:27

Chris Perry

"stars my destination"

04-26 Reply

Shaun Hughes

the best genre fiction podcast around, can't recommend it enough

08-06 Reply

iTunes User

Very fun hosts for the show. Guest author interviews. New books and classics discussed. Production standards are top-notch. I cannot recommend this podcast enough.

08-30 Reply

iTunes User

Been listening to these two for years now and this is another one that you just shouldn't miss.

08-30 Reply

iTunes User

Are you kidding me? I would listen to these two reading the Yellow Pages. Great podcast!

08-30 Reply

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