The Sword and Laser discussion

Veronica and Tom discover why horror is like cheese. Plus the reason a German book is being made into an English TV show by Germans. And our spoilery final thoughts on NOS4A2 by Joe Hill!

https://www.patreon.com/posts/57700520
https://soundcloud.com/swordandlaser/...
http://swordandlaser.com/home/2021/10...

1.5 hours left then I can listen! So bummed I didn't finish in time for the live. I am actually loving the book! I am primarily a horror reader though so this pick is a treat for.

EDIT: btw, is the silver hammer thing reference to The Beatles song?

Bleu cheese is the biggest horror.

Oh man, just finished and LOVED it!!

It was my first audio book too and what a wonderful performance.

Loved the end, loved the characters and concepts.

Thought it could have been a good 1/4 shorter but really really dug it and I'll be reading more Hill books for sure!

I really liked The Swarm.

Really liked the shawarma.

A saying I always come back to is that a book is different each time we read it, not because it has changed but because we have.

I want to formally apologize for only having contributed one quickburn this episode ;-)

Anyone in the US interested in The Swarm should be prepared though that at least when it was first published, the novel has been sometimes criticized for supposed anti-Americanism, as the American leadership in the novel is relatively one-dimensionally depicted as militaristic and not particularly interested in being open-minded or interested in the world as a whole.

As for horror being like cheese: I am starting to suspect I may be lactose intolerant...

Tina wrote: "I really liked The Swarm."

But what about The Swarm? (view spoiler)[KILLER BEES!!! (hide spoiler)]

(view spoiler)[ (hide spoiler)]

I sense Veronica is resistant to reading Pride and Prejudice…

For an introduction to Jane Austin, may I suggest watching the BBC TV adaptation with Colin Firth?

^ Were *cough* anyone to come to the Parasol Protectorate FB group they would find quite a bit of swooning over Colin Firth for that role. Well, and in general as well. Top of the list every time fans do a "who would you cast" discussion.

John (Taloni) wrote: "^ Were *cough* anyone to come to the Parasol Protectorate FB group they would find quite a bit of swooning over Colin Firth for that role. Well, and in general as well. Top of the list every time f..."

I mean, he’s a decent actor but he’s a little old to pull off the role of Lady Alexia Tarabotti.

Mark wrote: "Tina wrote: "I really liked The Swarm."

But what about The Swarm? [spoilers removed]"

But not The Swarm?

And for Star Wars fans, there is The Swarm

And for Star Trek fans, there is Star Trek: New Visions #12: Swarm

There's a Swarm for everybody!

And Schawarma: The Best Shawarma Recipes

I think George R R Martin once said fantasy is like seasoning, and if you add too much it's not good.

Tamahome wrote: "I think George R R Martin once said fantasy is like seasoning, and if you add too much it's not good."

This explains so much!

If Horror is like cheese, I think I need to start drinking more wine with it.

Will there be a "what cheese are you eating segment" next episode? I hear Gouda is high in vitamin K2.

Jan wrote: "the novel has been sometimes criticized for supposed anti-Americanism, as the American leadership in the novel is relatively one-dimensionally depicted as militaristic and not particularly interested in being open-minded or interested in the world as a whole. "

I mean...

Also people need to learn that a country is made up of more than its leaders!

Also Trike you are on a roll with the jokes today.

I'm just over here snacking on an entire wheel of brie... don't mind me.

I take my horror with a side of horror most days xD

Good choice for the March pick:) It's a long book but probably the best, all encompassing, space opera I have ever read.

I agree with Tom on the book covers list. I too expected to see the Dune cover by Bruce Pennington up there.

What is the March pick? I couldn’t quite follow that part of the podcast. Both what the book title is and the other very long book that Veronica was comparing it to which I think she was referring to by an abbreviation which I find very hard to understand when spoken aloud.

So can someone help by telling me what the March book is and what the other very long presumably past pick Veronica was comparing the audiobook versions with?

Shannon wrote: "What is the March pick? I couldn’t quite follow that part of the podcast. Both what the book title is and the other very long book that Veronica was comparing it to which I think she was referring ..."

March 2022 pick: Pandora's Star

Long book: 1Q84

It's worth noting that Pandora's Star is basically the first half of an even larger book and if you enjoy it you're going to want to read Judas Unchained right after.

I’m more confused. We did 1Q84

terpkristin wrote: "I’m more confused. We did 1Q84"

There was discussion if Pandora would be the longest book we read, and 1Q84 came up for comparsion.

thanks - when was 1Q84 the pick? I thought I hadn't missed any episodes of the podcast but clearly I must have as I don't recall that book (and I know I haven't read it - but usually even if I don't read a pick in a given month I'm at least aware of what the pick was)

Rob wrote: "It's worth noting that Pandora's Star is basically the first half of an even larger book and if you enjoy it you're going to want to read Judas Unchained right after."

thanks - sounds like a pick I'll skip, even planning a half-year ahead my TBR stack is so large a 2200+ page two volume set being realistic isn't going to get read (similar to why I haven't read any Malazan books - bought them once years ago, they sat unread for many more years)

Shannon wrote: "thanks - when was 1Q84 the pick? I thought I hadn't missed any episodes of the podcast but clearly I must have as I don't recall that book (and I know I haven't read it - but usually even if I don'..."

The wiki says it was an alt pick in Nov. 2011. Definitely didn’t remember it as an alt.

Yep, definitely an alt-pick and discussed on multiple shows while we read it. I quite enjoyed it.

It had many discussion threads. They have all been grouped into the 2011 page by Rob.

https://www.goodreads.com/topic/group...

Here is the Final impressions thread:
https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...

Can any one give a good reason to read Pandora's Star. Once tried Hamilton and lemmed 100 pages in realising the story was moving more slowly than an asthmatic ant with shopping (Great North Road).

The phrase "Life is too short" has just been given new meaning recently and I am looking for a reason to spend my precious reading time working my way through a monster like this.

I have done most of the modern British Space Opera writers (Banks, Reynolds, Asher, Baxter) and want a good reason to add a monstrous door stop of extruded Space Opera to the mix when reading time will be at a premium in the next 6 months.

Given your situation, no, I can't give you a good reason. If your situation means that only short works will do, then this ain't it. I will say that the threads are woven together quite well and come together exquisitely. Hamilton takes the better part of 2,000 pages getting there.

The alien in this work comes in for heavy praise from most readers. TBH I found it interesting but not compelling.

FWIW tho I think you may find a familiar set of characters and an ongoing story a comfort during a difficult period. Got insomnia? Enter a familiar world. Stuck waiting in an office somewhere? Whip out the device and read a few pages.

Hamilton's Commonwealth is the kind of place I'd like to live, an optimistic future in stark contrast to the usual SF dystopias. After these two books the Commonwealth continues on in several other series, all at least modestly interwoven. They're all good reads. And yep, they all take their time telling the story.

John (Taloni) wrote: "Given your situation, no, I can't give you a good reason. If your situation means that only short works will do, then this ain't it. I will say that the threads are woven together quite well and co..."

Well at least it's not a dystopia... Glad it is more Banksian than many others are..

I mean, I really enjoyed Pandora's Star, and thought Judas unchained brought things to a pretty good conclusion. I read some of his other commonweath books and liked them alright, but not nearly as much.


I own, but haven't read Great North Road, so I can't really compare Pandora's Star to that.

I'm not going to advocate for you to go read Pandora's Star though, seems like your mind is already made up.

They are long books, if you don't like long books there are plenty of other things to choose from.

I think Hamilton's characters are above average for brit sf writings. It takes a while to get to the alien though, but I think it's downhill from there. I also want to marry Paula Myo, genetically engineered for justice.

I think Hamilton's characters are above average for brit sf writers. He doesn't shy away from the sex either. It takes a while to get to the alien though, but I think it's downhill in a good way from there. I also want to marry Paula Myo, genetically engineered for justice. There is something cool that happens around the beginning that's been adapted to youtube by a student. The science is pretty intelligent if you're into that.

Iain wrote: "Can any one give a good reason to read Pandora's Star. Once tried Hamilton and lemmed 100 pages in realising the story was moving more slowly than an asthmatic ant with shopping ([book..."

"The Great North Road" had a very relaxed pace. The point that police work can be tedious and time consuming was effectively conveyed. Pandora's star has the author's usual attention to detail but I found it to be much more engaging than GNR. Having said that, there are many books I'd like to read that stay in the to read queue just because they are long. Shorter stories have their charms.

I feel like both the November pick and the March pick are solidly within Tamahome's wheelhouses and I call shenanigans! Has Tamahome body snatched Tom?

I'm with Tamahome :) Back in July when Conside Phlebas was the picked I suggested that Reynolds and Hamilton were the other cornerstones of SF and should get a look in:)

Jenny (Reading Envy) wrote: "I feel like both the November pick and the March pick are solidly within Tamahome's wheelhouses and I call shenanigans! Has Tamahome body snatched Tom?"

Oh no. Those are SQUARELY Tamahome picks. Picks that Tamahome has been advocating for for well on a decade now.

The length of both Reynolds and Hamilton and the need to keep our reading list a bit more diversified than it was, caused the delay. Rob's not unusual view that Pandora's Star is best read along with Judas Unchained was another reason I put it off. But I don't think our reading list would be complete without either author so compromises, as always, have to be made.

I think the Hamilton in March can be comfortably read in 5 weeks or 35 days, since the audiobook is 37 hours.

Tom wrote: "Jenny (Reading Envy) wrote: "I feel like both the November pick and the March pick are solidly within Tamahome's wheelhouses and I call shenanigans! Has Tamahome body snatched Tom?"

Oh no. Those a..."

Hey Tam you're an influencer now!

I owe it all to the discord.

Tamahome wrote: "I owe it all to the discord."

You kids today with your disco records and ticker-tockers, it’s hard to keep up.

Trike wrote: "I mean, he’s a decent actor but he’s a little old to pull off the role of Lady Alexia Tarabotti."

SNORT!!