The Sword and Laser

Photo by Lou AbercrombieWe have the pleasure of talking with Joe Abercrombie, author of The First Law trilogy and his most recent book, set in the same world, The Heroes. We also delve into the darker nature of fantasy these days, how that thieving leech Tolkien stole all of Joe's ideas and then time traveled backwards to make them look like his own, and we take some questions from Twitter.

ADDENDUMS

This podcast is brought to you by Audible.com the internet’s leading provider of audiobooks with more than 75,000 downloadable titles across all types of literature and featuring audio versions of many New York Times Best Sellers. For listeners of this podcast, Audible is offering a free audiobook, to give you a chance to try out their service. For a free audiobook of your choice go to audiblepodcast.com/sword. On Audible now: The Heroes by Joe Abercrombie.

Partner Sticker Fu. Use the code Sword1 and get 10% off the stickers at stickerfu.com.

Interview with Joe Abercrombie - The S&L Podcast #56

Patrick Rothfuss

We have the distinct pleasure of interviewing Patrick Rothfuss, author of The Name of the Wind and the forthcoming A Wise Man's Fear, which hits bookshelves March 1. We find out that the four corners of civilization had some tabletop roots, we determine Jim Butcher is a cylon who consorts with dark powers and reveal that Patrick has written a first pass at the ending of the Kingkiller Chronicle. But don't get selfish. He and George R. R. Martin are on the same team after all. He promises it shouldn't take horribly long to finish, but even if it does, we're certain it's worth the wait.

QUICK BURNS

GOOD OMENS coming to television

A Doctor Who writer breathes new life into the "magical detective" novel

Another great map of Westeros

Locus List of the best genre fiction of 2010 - a cheat sheet for Hugo nominators

An Invitation to Westeros - new video for game of thrones

INTERVIEW

Patrick Rothfuss

From Wikipedia - Patrick James Rothfuss (born June 6, 1973) is an American fantasy writer and college lecturer. He is the author of the projected three-volume series The Kingkiller Chronicle, which was rejected by several publishing companies before the first book of the series, The Name of the Wind, was published in 2007 by DAW/Penguin, which went on to receive critical acclaim and become a New York Times best seller.

The Kingkiller Chronicle

The Name of the Wind (April 2007)

The Wise Man's Fear (March 2011)

The Doors of Stone (working title)

Books Patrick mentioned he has been reading or is looking forward to:

The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms, Book 1 (The Inheritance Trilogy) By N.K. Jemisin

The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

Ghost Story (Dresden Files, No. 13) by Jim Butcher

ADDENDUMS

Sword and Laser is brought to you by Audible.com the internet’s leading provider of audiobooks with more than 75,000 downloadable titles across all types of literature and featuring audio versions of many New York Times Best Sellers.For listeners of this podcast, Audible is offering a free audiobook, to give you a chance to try out their service. For a free audiobook of your choice go to audiblepodcast.com/sword.

And support our partner Sticker Fu. Use the code Sword1 and get 10% off the stickers!

Interview with Patrick Rothfuss - The S&L Podcast #54

BOOK RELEASES: 

1/25/2011 While Mortals Sleep: Unpublished short fiction of Kurt Vonnegut - The 16 previously unpublished short stories of this collection, taken from the beginning of Vonnegut's career, show a young author already grappling with themes and ideas that would define his work for decades to come. (Kindle)

1/27/2011 The Heroes by Joe Abercrombie (in the UK - US doesn't get it until 2/7) Union commander Lord Marshal Kroy coordinates the fight with the aid of a motley group of incompetent, self-important officers. The strangely sympathetic Col. Bremer dan Gorst is officially a royal observer who nurses a burning desire to kill or be killed. Leading a much smaller army against the Union is Black Dow, whose grip on the throne of the Northmen is tenuous and based on fear and brutality. (Kindle) 

1/31/2011 The Alchemist by P. Bacigalupi - The first foray into fantasy from Hugo winner Bacigalupi (The Windup Girl) is one of two novellas (the other by Tobias S. Buckell) set in a world where using magic has terrible consequences. Jeoz is a destitute alchemist living in Khaim, a city literally being strangled to death by bramble, a "wormy malevolence" that expands its thorny vines every time someone uses magic. 

2/3/2011 License to Ensorcell by Katherine Kerr - a psychic agent and her Israeli sidekick tracking down a werewolf-murdering serial killer in San Francisco. (Kindle) 

2/7/2011 Deep State by Walter Jon Williams (Kindle) - The sequel to This is Not a Game, about where alternate reality games and real life cross and meet.

Joe Abercrombie appearing in England 1/27 at Forbidden Planet in London from 6 PM, and January 29 at Forbidden PLanet in Bristol from 1 PM AD 

BARE YOUR SWORD

4004 BC (possible minor spoilers) 

Too many characters? 

What horseman would you be? 

Library Closures 

BOOK CHECK-IN

Good Omens by Terry Pratchett and Neil Gaiman

This podcast is brought to you by Audible.com the internet’s leading provider of audiobooks with more than 75,000 downloadable titles across all types of literature, including fiction, non-fiction and periodicals.   For a free audiobook of your choice, go to audiblepodcast.com/sword.

The Alchemist and the Executioness  from Audible.

Almost the end of the world (as we know it) - The S&L Podcast #51