The Sword and Laser

Well folks it's wrap-up time for The Moon is Harsh Mistress and... sadly... Veronica hasn't finished.  But we wrap up anyway and Tom makes a shocking revelation that lets Veronica off the hook.  And he finished Moon, so it's not that.

QUICK BURNS        
        
New ‘Game of Thrones’ teaser (video)   
        
Why a universe-hopping entrepreneur may be your next big hero       
        
William Gibson reveals a "secret experiment" in his Bridge Trilogy, and ponders A.I.      

Gibson dropped some hints about a little stealth tie-in to Zero History  that's going to happen on Twitter soon. Let's just say that you should keep an eye on the Twitter accounts @gaydolphin1 and @gaydolphin2 - those of you who've read the novel know what those accounts are related to.
       
BARE YOUR SWORD - feedback from the audience        
        
Why did he die? (SPOILERS)
        
Human Judgment vs. Machines
        
The City & The City is a missed opportunity (SPOILERS)   
        
BOOK WRAP-UP      
        
The Moon is a Harsh Mistress

Veronica still has not finished, she's prepared for her flogging. Tom's thoughts?    

NEW BOOK

We're taking suggestions from Classic Fantasy on Goodreads then we'll put it up to a vote.  
        
EMAILS      
        
Hi Veronica, Tom
I will try and keep it pithy but I get "wordy" sometimes. :) I asked
the question at dragon con if future podcasts could contain a 5 minute
segment looking back at classic epic fantasy of the 70s and 80s when
readers were starving for good reads. I was thinking of producing my
own podcast on this subject but you guys have built a nice listener
base so you can do more with this than I.

In October, Stephen R. Donaldson will be releasing his newest novel,
"Against All Things Ending", the third book in a four book series that
completes the tale of Thomas Covenant he began in 1977 with the book
"Lord Foul's Bane". In the 70s & 80s Donaldson sold over 40 million
copies and was second only to Tollkien at one time. These books are
GOLD.

Another retro author with an impending release is Katherine Kurtz, who
will soon release the third book of her "Chylde Morgan" trilogy. This
is also a tale that began back in the 70s.

These two great authors have been overshadowed by Jordan and Martin
but are easily their equals or better. Please put these on your
reading list and introduce this generation's readers to some classic
epic fantasy.

If I can be of any assistance in the production of this segment please
don't hesitate to let me know.

Regards,
Roman Thompson 

************

Veronica and Tom,
A late addition, but just finished reading Accelerando by Charles Stross. The Earth and the inner planets are completely deconstructed and rebuilt into data storage and processing power for the digital needs of the human race. So, voluntary, resource savvy, non-Armageddon style Earth recycling.

Regards,
Peter Hourigan

The following is an excerpt from the Wikipedia page.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Accelerando_(novel)

Plot concepts
In Accelerando, the planets of the solar system are dismantled to form a Matrioshka brain, a vast computational device inhabited by minds inconceivably more complex than naturally evolved intelligences such as human beings. This proves to be a normal stage in the life cycle of an inhabited solar system; the galaxies are filled with Matrioshka brains, communicating via wormhole networks. Lesser intelligences may live unmolested around brown dwarf stars.
 

************ 

I just listened to #40. I highly recommend Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell in the audio version. I got this at my library and it was very good. Don't give up on the somewhat boring beginning, it's a superb story.
 
Thanks for the great podcasts!
 
Peggy Poellot

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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.

We suggested:

The City and The City, by China Mieville, read by John Lee

Zero History, by William Gibson Narrated by Robertson Dean

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

Veronica gets spoiled - The S&L Podcast #42

We're halfway through The Moon is a Harsh Mistress, but we have some non-spoilery insights to share from ourselves and the book club discussions on Goodreads. We also talk about some of our favorite SciFi crossovers and this whole crazy new world of eBooks, audio books and 'enhanced' eBooks.

QUICK BURNS
   
The dystopian novel that's turning China upside down   
   
Simon & Schuster Look To ‘Enhanced’ E-Books Beyond Apps    
   
The 11 greatest, craziest sci-fi crossovers in television history   
   
Summer science fiction explosion: The io9 guide to August  
   

BARE YOUR SWORD - feedback from the audience   
   
Heinlein is a weak-minded, adolescent authoritarian   
   
Turing Method - A defintion of self awareness   
   
Do Audiobooks count as reading?   


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, including fiction, non-fiction and periodicals.   For a free audiobook of your choice, go to audiblepodcast.com/sword.

   
Check out our Partner Sticker Fu.  Use the code Sword1 and get 10% off stickers.
    

Heinlein fans are a harsh mistress - The S&L Podcast #039

Just an overview of some news and few discussions from the Goodreads forums this week, including the H.G. Wells story competition that banned science fiction and required everything to be handwritten. HUH?!

QUICK BURNS - News 
   
Veronica and Tom's ComiCon adventures!   
   
Words to live by: advice from 34 science fiction/fantasy authors   
   
H.G. Wells short story contest bans science fiction, and gets no entries   
   
Best selling SciFi on Amazon right now - Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury   
   
Best selling fantasy on Amazon right now Sookie Stackhouse the 8-copy boxed set   
   
Also preorders of Towers of Midnight (Wheel of Time) is number 4 overall best SciFi Fantasy (comes out November 2)   
   

RELEASE THE KRAKEN! -- or some books

"The Terminal State (Avery Cates) [Mass Market Paperback] -  Jeff Somers "    7/27/2010

Diane Duane - Omnitopia Dawn: Omnitopia #1 [Hardcover]    8/3/2010
   
Sheri S. Tepper - The Water's Rising    8/31/2010
   
Brandon Sanderson - The Way of Kings     8/31/2010

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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. 

Veronica's reading "Time Traveller's Wife By Audrey Niffenegger
Narrated by William Hope and Laurel Lefkow"
   

BARE YOUR SWORD - feedback from the audience   
   
A model of self sufficiency   
   
Missing Words   
   
Quotations - add your favorites   
   
Game Books   
   
   
BOOK CHECK-IN   

The Moon is a Harsh Mistress - Robert Heinlein   
   

EMAIL:   
 
Hello Veronica and Tom,
A pleasure to listen to you! I follow both of you on your respective sites(a Twit fanatic and a Patrick Norton wannabe Winking smile emoticon), and just recently found Sword and Laser due to an off the cuff remark from Tom on TNT. I was an avid reader of books long before there were computers, so imagine my excitement when I heard you discussing old friends! I have never sent a fan mail/response to anyone before so forgive me if I ramble a bit.

Thanks for all the suggestions Glenn!   
   

ADDENDUMS   

Use the code Sword1 and get 10% off the stickers at Sticker Fu  
    

Handwritten for your enjoyment - The S&L Podcast #038