Category Archives: Sword and Laser

S&L Podcast – #155 – Why Sam Sykes is for Sharks and the Alliance

We had a really good time chatting with Sam Sykes, author of the Aeon’s Gate series. Among other things, we learned what a flying shark is good for, why he left the Horde, what a “stealfie” is, and how Sam keeps his daily threat-making to a minimum. Plus your questions!  Enjoy.

Sam Sykes official website

And just because….

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Podcast direct download link!

Get other formats of the video here.

San Francisco Meet-Up, Jan 20th at Borderlands!

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Hey everyone!

If you’re in the Bay Area, please come join me and Tom at Borderlands Books on January 20th at 5pm. We’ll be reading selections from the Anthology, discussing the current book pick (TBD), and then heading across the street for adult libations afterwards!

The event is free, but we’ll have plenty of copies of the February book pick on hand to purchase. Plus, Borderlands is awesome, and you won’t be able to leave the store empty-handed! 

If you plan on attending, please RSVP on the Goodreads event page! Hope to see you there!

 

S&L Podcast – #154 – A Natural History of Dragons

It’s a very dragon-filled episode, as we kick off our December pick, A Natural History of Dragons: A Memoir by Lady Trent, actually by Marie Brennan. Also Temeraire. And Paul and Storm steal our idea but we decide we like them anyway. 

WHAT ARE WE DRINKING?    
Tom: Kilbeggan Irish Whiskey, bitters and a brandied cherry    
Veronica: Hot Toddy with Bulleit Rye

    
QUICK BURNS  
 
    
Samuel R. Delany Named 2013 Damon Knight Grand Master Recipient    
George R.R. Martin shows what happens when dragons go to war    
Paul and Storm do an anthology with everyone you love    
Young adult readers ‘prefer printed to ebooks’    
Website Launch: THE APOCALYPSE TRIPTYCH Edited John Joseph Adams and Hugh Howey

CALENDAR 

    
TV, MOVIES AND VIDEO GAMES
    
    
SHANNARA to become a TV series at…MTV?    
The climate of Middle Earth    
First scientific paper to be released in Elvish, Dwarvish and English    
Original Ballantine book cover concept art for J.R.R Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings on eBay

   
Book Kick-Off  
 
    
A Natural History of Dragons: A Memoir by Lady Trent (but actually by Marie Brennan)    

Alt pick: His Majesty’s Dragon by Naomi Novik    
    
BARE YOUR SWORD    
    
Tom and Veronica, 

I’ve been listening to the podcast for a few months now and am 
really enjoying it. I’ve backfilled a good number of the past 
episodes and watched most of the video shows. I listen to a 
fair number of podcasts, but S&L always skips to the front of 
the queue. 

I really like that it is both relaxed and professional at the 
same time. The quick burns are excellent. The show lengths 
are about right. I wouldn’t mind if the frequency of episodes 
was a little higher. 

Also, thanks for keeping the language clean. The amount of 
swearing in many podcasts makes me uncomfortable with sharing 
them with my daughters. This is especially lossy when the content 
would be interesting to them. I am aware that the school yard is 
full of colorful speech, but I am trying to promote a more varied 
vocabulary. 

I haven’t been able to follow along with any of the book club reads. 
The queue is already too long (and getting longer (curses S&L!)), but 
I still enjoy listening to you talk about the books. 

Originally I hated the theme music, but it is growing on me a little. 

Thanks (or curses) for the heads-up on the information about the 
non-attending member benefits of WorldCon (more things to read). 
I don’t understand you S&L was not in the running for a Hugo this 
year. Is it not eligible for some reason? 

Thanks for a wonderful podcast! 

–paul
    
Voicemail from Chris from Maine. Thanks!
    
ADDENDUMS    
    
We are proud members of the Boing Boing Podcast Network   

Borderlands Meetup Jan. 20 

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S&L Podcast – #153 – Peter V. Brett is the Dark David Hasselhoff of Fantasy

We talk with Peter V. Brett about his Demon Cycle books, the grim world of dark fantasy, his old HP iPaq and why he’s so big in Germany.

Peter V. Brett’s website    
About Peter V. Brett on Wikipedia    

To get in on the D&D action at ConFusion and possibly see Myke Cole’s head get shaved visit Worldbuilders.org.

And check out the Not Playing Podcast: 002 Die Hard on the Boing Boing Podcast Network!

Direct download link to podcast here!

Get a downloadable version of the video here.