The Sword and Laser

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. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Coverage of the 2024 Seiun Award finalists and international science fiction news. Fun chatter about reading habits, audiobooks vs print, and community bingo ideas. A lively preview of May's book club pick and reactions to Cordelia's Honor focusing on parenting, moral complexity, and cultural differences in a space opera.

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! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A few more thoughts on the Hugos, who would win in a fight between Maas and Yarros, and we preview our March Madness brackets! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.