The Sword and Laser discussion

I'd like to see The Passage nominated. Sounds very interesting. I downloaded it today on the B&N reader on my iPad. Well back to World War Z for now though.

Oddly, I grabbed it from Audible the other day, solely on reviews online and a few people here mentioning it. Will get to it after finishing Ringworld.

I think The Passage is a great choice. I just started it and it lives up to the hype so far.

I dunno. The cover blurb sounded cool, like an epic version of Stephen King's The Mist. But then I read reviews and realized it's a vampire book, which is a genre even more played out than zombies.

Sean wrote: "I dunno. The cover blurb sounded cool, like an epic version of Stephen King's The Mist. But then I read reviews and realized it's a vampire book, which is a genre even more played out than zombies."

I agree in general on the vampire thing, I figured that the reviews and recommendations would make me take it for a spin, and try to put my anti-vampire bias aside.

Since it was only 1 Audible credit, it wasn't a huge investment if it doesn't work out. Now if only I could finish Ringworld (about 4 hours left...).

I think it's a vampire book the way Peter Watt's Blindsight by Peter Watts is a vampire book. In other words, it's science fiction vampires, not supernatural vampires.

My understanding is that you can swap "vampires" for "zombies" and pretty much have the same book.

They are the end-of-the-world MacGuffin for the book

I got it from Audible and was sucke din imeediately. SO much so, that I bought it for my iPad because I want to be able to easily go back and linger on some portions (I was going to say 'passages,' but that just sounded dumb). Trust the author's pedigree. This is well-written and well-plotted (that's awkward, yes?) IMHO. Given the tremendous discount it's sold for, it's worth the gamble if you're on the fence.

I just finished the Passage- it was fun. They're not sparkly vampires.

I recommend The Lies of Locke Lamora by Scott Lynch. book 1 of the Gentleman Bastards series, a real treat to read!

I'd go with this one if there is a scene where the forces of the evil Mr. Sparkles are defeated by cats riding into battle on Roombas.

If Vampires are going to be a posible subject then I suggest books by C. S. Friedman. She has written a few of books that feature Vampire like creatures even though they are usually not called that in the stories. As a matter of fact a couple of her stories, the Coldfire trilogy and The Madness Season, are a little bit laser as well as sword. Her current series, the Magister Trilogy, is in the same vein.

I'd prefer to stick with Swords and Lasers. No stakes. World War Z is already a little far afield.

So you have no stake in the Vampire race? That could be risky.

Actually I'm not really into the current Zombe/Vampire trend. (Ok, ok I like Buffy but...) However Friedman's work is far enough from the traditional that I like it.

Not into steampunk, zombies, werewolves, angels, or vampires.

Hmmm, how about Dragon Avenger by E. E. Knight?

Every time I hear Sword and Laser this book always comes to mind:
The Cyborg and the Sorcerers unfortunately it's not available from Audible.

My real suggestion would be Soon I Will Be Invincible

The next book on my list is probably going to be The Fuller Memorandum by Charles Stross when it comes out on July 6. It's the third in the Laundry Files series. The novels are a sort of a combination of The Office, Cthulhu and James Bond.

I'd prefer to skip vampires. I've got a Kobo and having to wade through dozens of vampire and other supernatural bodice rippers when looking for more traditional sword and laser books in Kobo's poorly organized store has been one of the worst things about the platform.

My vote is for Mistborn: The Final Empire. I just started it and it's pretty good. Plus, it's a trilogy and all three books are out already, which is a big plus.

How about The Day of the Triffids by John Wyndham? I'm listening to the BBC audio production of the book and really enjoying it.

How about The Player of Games by Iain M. Banks? Or, for even more of a laserish slant, On Basilisk Station by David Weber -- a spaceship version of a distaff Horatio Hornblower?
(I would certainly vote for Charles Stross, though.)

How about Vernor Vinge? A Fire Upon the Deep or The Peace War?

How about Incarceron?

Paul wrote: "How about The Player of Games by Iain M. Banks? Or, for even more of a laserish slant, On Basilisk Station by David Weber -- a spaceship vers..."

On Basilisk Station is available for free as an ebook from the Baen free library.

Wow the recommendations are all over.

As I normally lean to the Laser side I want to recommend Old Man's War. I just finished it and Ghost Brigades (the second book). Now, I'm 7 hours into A Game of Thrones so I kinda need the catch-up time.

Ben wrote: "I'd prefer to stick with Swords and Lasers. No stakes. World War Z is already a little far afield."

I agree. I'm reading WWZ, but only to be a part of the crowd. If we pick a vampire book, though, I don't think I would be at all interested.

For what it's worth, I just read a surprisingly awesome book by Brandon Sanderson called Warbreaker. Maybe you have all read it (or avoided it) already, but I was floored by how much I liked it.

Hey everyone!

As we are about to mention on the podcast (once I finish editing it) we're going to pick our favorite top 5 suggestions for classic and genre-specific sci-fi and fantasy from a Goodreads thread.

Since you guys have already been making suggestions in this thread, keep doing so! Tom and I will pick our favorites and put them up for a vote. Please recommend any authors or specific books you'd like to see us cover!

Patrick wrote: "How about Vernor Vinge? A Fire Upon the Deep or The Peace War?"

I second A Fire Upon the Deep. We haven't had a big, epic space opera for a while, and you don't get much more epic than a computer virus that's capable of infecting organic brains, trying to take over the galaxy.

If not that, then something by Alastair Reynolds, like House of Suns.

Have we read any book by Robert A. Heinlein? If we haven't we should. If we have... How about something by Kim Stanley Robinson

Earth Abides by George R. Stewart seems like it might be a good book to read. It was published back in 1949 and is a post-apocalyptic/virus novel and one of the first true Sci-Fi books of its day. I plan on reading it as soon as I finish The Blade Itself.

Another good choice would be The Unincorporated Man by Dani Kollin which is a weird take on the whole "waking up in a different time" scenario. It was a really good read with very compelling character development. There is a sequel to this called The Unincorporated War which I have yet to read and I know your aversion to reading series books so it might dissuade a bit from picking this.

If we do Robert A. Heinlein then I will put a vote in for the The Moon Is a Harsh Mistress

What about doing short stories? I think some of best science fiction that was written by Arthur C Clarke, Larry Niven or Isaac Asimov was short format.

I nominate The Integral Trees by Larry Niven. Personally, I like it slightly better than Ringworld. It's under-rated, not 'Neal Stephenson' long, and pretty interesting.

Iain M. Banks interests me. "Look to Windward", "Feersum Endjin" (sp) or the "Player of Games" are a few I haven't read yet.

Wouldn't mind a Vinge ("Deepness in the Sky" or "Rainbow's End") or a Lem.

I've read them but I'd like to hear other people's takes on Alistair Reynold's one offs "Chasm City" and/or "House of Suns".

How about Ken Scholls Lamentation? I have heard good things about it and want an excuse to pick it up.

I'd like to suggest Elantris by Brandon Sanderson or Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell by Susanna Clarke.

How about The Resurrectionist? Perusing the reviews here on Goodreads it seems that folks either love it or hate it. I always get intrigued when I see such an even split between the detractors and those who praise it. Plus, the synopsis seems right up my own personal alley. I love surrealism and crazy, trippy narratives.

I say Halting State by Charles Stross.

Paul wrote: "How about The Player of Games by Iain M. Banks? Or, for even more of a laserish slant, On Basilisk Station by David Weber -- a spaceship vers..."

I'd go for Baslisk. I've read most of the Honor Harrington series, but for some reason, I've never read the first one!

Alfredo wrote: "Have we read any book by Robert A. Heinlein? If we haven't we should. If we have... How about something by Kim Stanley Robinson"

Start the Mars series by Robinson with Red Mars?

Anything by Iain M. Banks! "The Player of Games" has been recommended - it's fantastic. Consider "Consider Phlebas" if you're in the mood for some space opera.

I would like to put in a vote for Heinlein's The Moon Is a Harsh Mistress. I've also been wanting to read WebMage it is a cyberpunk story about a computer hacker using magic. Sounds really interesting. Or possibly Way of the Wolf

I can't recommend Dan Simmons's Hyperion and its sequel The Fall of Hyperion highly enough; they're must-reads for any Laser-aficionado.

Oh, Hyperion would be great.

Any books that we would like to see you cover.

An old classic mabye as mentioned in the podcast, my choice would be Raymond E. Feist and Magician: Apprentice. On a side note, Magician Apprentice and Magician Master, are just known as 1 book here in Australia, and just called Magician.

And as a newer books that people might like I would suggest Ian Irvine and A Shadow on the Glass and Jennifer Fallon and The Immortal Prince.

All sword I know, but it is my favorite side of Sword and Lasers

I'd like to read Perdido Street Station or something by Vernor Vinge. I enjoyed Charles Stross's Halting State and Saturn's Children. I liked John Scalzi's Old Man's War, but I don't know if we should go back into military sci-fi having just read The Forever War

I'd like to suggest The Magician's Apprentice by Trudi Canavan. This is a prequel to her Black Magician Trilogy (not to be confused with Magician: Apprentice suggested by Matthew earlier).

I have found all of her books hard to put down.

Ok. Since we seem to be swinging more laser this time I'll put in my vote with the others for Charles Stross' Halting State.
But I'll throw in an alternate of Altered Carbon by Richard K. Morgan. I really love his sci-fi cyberpunk detective Takeshi Kovacs novels.
However, I do have Iain Bank's Look to Windward sitting on my Kindle, waiting to be read.

On the fantasy side I'd like to recommend Guy Gavriel Kay, The Lions of al-Rassan

Some books that I've been wanting to read:
I, Robot by Isaac Asimov
The Dragonbone Chair by Tad Williams
an Arthur C Clarke novel
Incarceron by Catherine Harris

Paul wrote: "I'd like to recommend Armor by John Steakley. Armor"

I absolutely love that book. I second this recommendation.