The Sword and Laser discussion

The Sword and Laser bump returns! Also, Veronica wants to start reading comics. And we realize we need brain, but that’s all we need. Isn’t that festive!

http://swordandlaser.com/home/2018/12...
https://soundcloud.com/swordandlaser/...
https://www.patreon.com/posts/23459889

I am responding to Tom and Veronica's query, book or audiobook which is better.

I usually listen to most of my books so I might be a bit partial to them. But this time I borrowed both from the library. I am glad I did. I loved the audio and the narration was really done well. But....I think once there were shifts in realms, it sort of lacked clarity. I found myself going back and reading sections where they switched from dead to sort of alive or traveling to different parts of the world. Once I got my bearing again I could do the audiobook again. That being said, I really liked the audiobook and I think eventually you could figure it out from the text. This is one really good case for Whispersync. I felt the same way with the The Strange Case of the Alchemist's Daughter. The changes in narration from telling backstory to having all the women together telling the story in the present were a bit difficult.

Re: Comic Suggestions for Veronica

I think you'd enjoy Saga. It is very much Sword AND Laser.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saga_(c...

Saga is an epic space opera/fantasy comic book series that depicts a husband and wife, Alana and Marko, from long-warring extraterrestrial races, fleeing authorities from both sides of a galactic war as they struggle to care for their daughter, Hazel, who is born in the beginning of the series and who occasionally narrates the series as an unseen adult.

This series is a favourite among many here on the forum. It is my number one of all time. The artwork is exquisite.

Warning: Some graphic sex and nudity and disturbing content.

I'd also recommend Paper Girls,

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paper_G...

Paper Girls follows the story of four 12-year-old newspaper delivery girls (Erin, MacKenzie, KJ, and Tiffany) set in Stony Stream, a fictional suburb of Cleveland, Ohio. While out delivering papers on the morning after Halloween, the town is struck by an invasion from a mysterious force from the future. The girls become unwillingly caught up in the conflict between two warring factions of time-travelers.

Another widely enjoyed comic series is Monstress, Vol. 1: Awakening by Marjorie M. Liu with art by Sana Takeda

Comics-wise, I'm a big fan of Giant Days, Vol. 1, which is about four British women in university.

I too was late to the party with Graphic Novels ( Comic ). What I do at this time is just Google " Best Graphic Novels of 2018 " and boom you have a list of thing to watch out for and read. Yes, Saga is the best !!! And of course there is the Hugo category of Best Graphic Novels which always has a fine list to check out for ideas.

Echo on Saga, although be aware, it’s not a finished series yet. But the arc’s are dam satisfying.

Rat Queens, Vol. 1: Sass & Sorcery I could see being something V would dig. I had a blast with the first GN, it’s very sword and sorcery with a fun heart.

I Kill Giants is a bit sadder take on a bit of a fantasy/ make believe tale. I liked it a lot and it also made me a bit emotional. The movie that came out this year has a lot of that in it as well, but is a slightly different take on the story, still pretty good as well.

Nnedi Okorafor is currently writing the Shuri comics for Marvel as well as La Guardia for Dark Horse. Both are quite good so far. Saladin Ahmed is currently working on a new run of Miles Morales Spider-man books.

Tom, how could you have been too old for Magic, The Gathering. I was 30 when it came out and my friends and I were instantly obsessed with it. You're never too old for a little magic in your life.

Tassie Dave wrote: "Re: Comic Suggestions for Veronica

I think you'd enjoy Saga. It is very much Sword AND Laser."

I concur. Plus we know V is not afraid of adult situations, aka “sexy times”, in books, of which Saga has plenty.

Mark wrote: "Another widely enjoyed comic series is Monstress, Vol. 1: Awakening by Marjorie M. Liu with art by Sana Takeda"

Also a Trike Concurrence Vote for this. The artwork is gorgeous and it expertly melds Eastern and Western storytelling.

Joyce wrote: "I am responding to Tom and Veronica's query, book or audiobook which is better.

I loved the audio and the narration was really done well. But....I think once there were shifts in realms, it sort of lacked clarity."

I had a similar issue with Hamilton, the stage musical, with the song about the Schuyler sisters, where they do the “rewind” bit. On stage it’s much more clear that time is reversing as the story shifts to relate the same event from a different perspective.

Some things aren’t as clear in audio format.

Reminds me of that episode of Frasier when he wants to do a show reviewing the arts:

Frasier: I'm thinking of calling the show, "Frasier Crane's 'I'll Say'." But with the "I'll" spelled like a theatre aisle.
Roz: That should work real well on radio.

Tom has my exact comic book taste. I’m also reading the new Firefly comics.

I think Veronica would like Lady Mechanika.

I don't really know V's style, nor have I listened to the episode, but I found that looking for comics written by authors I like has helped pique my interest.

Hungry Ghosts #1 from Anthony Bourdain (includes recipes!)
Shuri: The Search for Black Panther by the amazing Nnedi Okorafor (this is a link to the compiled book due out next year, but individual comics are likely available at your FLCBS)
Rick and Morty vs. Dungeons & Dragons from Rothfuss
Brave Chef Brianna by Sam Skykes

I also think 2019 will be worse than 2018. Pretty sure we’re heading for a major financial crash. I expected the current stock market turmoil, so back in the spring I moved all of my investments to safer havens. I lost money over the summer but I would have lost 60% of my retirement over the past couple months otherwise.

But next year has me even more worried. I don’t think any financial instruments or institutions will be safe. In the stock market crashes of 1893, 1929, 1987 and 2008, we basically had one or two sectors of society that were shaky. Today we have EVERY sector created out of houses of cards. Banks, governments, individuals... everything is currently on a terrifyingly unsustainable path. When the bill comes due there won’t be any safety net anywhere.

The US is the major driver of the global economy, and currently 80% of Americans are living paycheck to paycheck. One little hiccup can bring everything crashing down. A hiccup like, say, an escalating trade war.

Right now the only thing keeping disaster at bay is the fact that mortgage defaults are low. But now that Trump and the GOP have repealed the protections put in place after 2008, it’s only a matter of time before greed creates another housing bubble. Given everything else going on, that will be kicking out the bottom block of the Jenga tower.

And then we all turn cannibal.

Phil wrote: "Tom, how could you have been too old for Magic, The Gathering. I was 30 when it came out and my friends and I were instantly obsessed with it. You're never too old for a little magic in your life."

Well I didn't know what it was for years except the thing my younger brother played. My apologies.

No need to apologize, I just never thought of Magic as aimed at a particular age range unlike something like Pokémon.

Tom wrote: "Phil wrote: "Tom, how could you have been too old for Magic, The Gathering. I was 30 when it came out and my friends and I were instantly obsessed with it. You're never too old for a little magic i..."

I have some Gamma cards lying around. Used to play it while I was an RA at Fermilab. A few of us played at lunchtime.

It is not a game for the young, you need plenty of disposable currency to purchase enough cards to win...

Assassin's Apprentice is clearly a Christmas book. If you cannot figure this one out you need to go back to bible school ;-).

(view spoiler)[he gets executed and is resurrected from the dead for crying out loud, messianic or what... (hide spoiler)]

Wouldn't that make it an Easter book?

;-)

^beat me to it!

John (Taloni) wrote: "^beat me to it!"

Royal assassin is the Easter book. ....

It would be more accurate to say that Assassin's Apprentice (and its sequels) uses the same legends and tropes that the bible writers used to construct the Jesus mythos, than to call it a Christmas story.

Christmas, as we now know it, has really been constructed from pagan rituals, European tradition (far removed from the bible) and US advertising campaigns. The Jesus and christian myth is just a small piece of the Xmas story and one that is becoming increasingly redundant. Xmas, especially here is Australia, is almost purely a secular holiday.

Veronica you mentioned a Silmarillion book report.

There's a bit of history to this book for me. My godmother knew I loved to read books but she clearly didn't know my taste. One time I got some old crusty guy whose name was something like Longfellow or some such (what do you expect for a tween). Then I got some funky thing called Silmarillion, which I'd never heard of, and without the wonder of Goodreads or the internet, had no way to figure out what it was about.

Being the snotty teenager my dislike made its way thru the family vine to her and she stopped giving me gifts. I did feel bad. I kept the Silmarillion and finally read it as an adult after making my way thru the Hobbit.

What I remember of that read is it was incredibly dry and read alot like the old Testament with all its Joe begat Arther who begat Henry and John. Also, what seemed to be a series of stories (much like Night's Master). It wasn't until I saw the very first Peter Jackson's Lord of the Rings that all that history made sense. I knew who the Eagles were and the history of the Elves. And ever since then I've been looking for an audio version of Silmarillion so I can refresh my memory.

I'm doing a 3-month trial of Audible and joy of joy, guess what my January pick will be!

Re: The Silmarillion.

Peter Jackson's wife Fran Walsh co-wrote the screenplays to all the LOTR movies. She also recorded the scream that was used for the Nazgûl (Ringwraiths)

Jackson jokes that he told Fran he had bought the rights to The Silmarillion. Her reaction was what they used for the sound of the Nazgûl.

For Veronicas comic book recommendations I have a few in mind that I believe a great reads. And they are available on Comixology and Kindle at a great sale price before the end of the year.

Absolute Planetary Book One
Absolute Planetary Book Two
by Warren Ellis
The comixology price is currently $4.99 for each book. The Kindle price is higher on volume 2 for some reason. There are so many pop culture references to each story that just finding them is fun.

Miracleman, Book One: A Dream of Flying
Miracleman, Book Two: The Red King Syndrome
Miracleman, Book Three: Olympus
by Alan Moore

Miracleman, Book One: The Golden Age
by Neil Gaiman
Books 1 & 3 are $3.99 while book 2 is $2.99. I recommend the Alan Moore books but The Gaiman volume is alright too.

All-Star Superman
by Grant Morrison
It's one of the best Superman stories ever written and it's $4.99

Infinity
by Jonathan Hickman
The other book that inspired the current Avengers movies is $9.99 well spent as opposed to $39.99.

The Manhattan Projects, Vol. 1: Science. Bad.
by Jonathan Hickman
It's more of a laser pick with alternate reality but volume 1 at $3.99 is a can't miss.

Batman: White Knight
by Sean Gordon Murphy
Is a great reversal of what-if the Joker were the hero and Batman the villain. At $4.99 it's a great read.

The Ultimates
by Mark Millar
The series that inspired the first Avengers movie (honestly Whedon stole almost everything from this series to make the first movie). It's not on sale but $10.99 for volume 1 is worth the money.

I saw a few people recommended Saga which is great but I think Runaways: Marvel Age, Vol. 1: The Pride is a better choice. The whole Fables, Vol. 1: Legends in Exile saga is done so that's also a great series. But I think the stuff I recommended will more then fill the comics void in your reading.

+1 for The Ultimates.

^^ These are all good choices. Planetary is incredible, each issue a highlight. The space shot issue alone...*kisses fingertips* Miracleman is surrealistic and sometimes violent, perhaps an "inside baseball" comic, but definitely great. All Star Superman for the artwork alone, before we even start on the great story. Yep, good choices, all with some subtlety of writing to recommend them.

I want to add the Surtur Saga from Thor, by Walt Simonson. It's...well, not subtle, and that's part of the point. Probably the best Thor run ever, and an exemplar of 80s Marvel. A monomaniacal Surtur finally has Asgard within reach, and not all the scheming on the side of Odin and his allies will save it...but perhaps some other forces will.

Includes the introduction of Beta Ray Bill and his hammer Stormbringer, recently seen with a different origin in the MCU. Lady Sif makes her own decisions regarding battle and love. And just when you've reached maximum drama, we get a short comical series featuring the...Frog of Thunder!

But perhaps the best, and for me the most moving moment in comics, is when the otherwise mean, nasty and solitary (but very powerful) Skurge makes a sacrifice for others. It is a redeeming moment for the ages. A faint parody of this storyline made its way into the latest Thor movie. Read the original instead and see why Skurge matters.

Simonson's knowledge of mythology is encyclopedic and we see a variety of Norse figures and mythical objects. For Asgard! For Midgard! For...well, see for yourself.

Thor Visionaries: Walter Simonson

Vol 1:
https://www.amazon.com/Thor-Visionari...

Vol 2:
https://www.amazon.com/Thor-Visionari...

Vol 3:
https://www.amazon.com/Thor-Visionari...

If you have a trial of Kindle Unlimited you can take advantage of, there's plenty on there, including some that have been mentioned here (in the uk, at least, but presumably elsewhere). It's a good way to try before you buy - if your library is anything like mine, it maybe doesn't have the best selection. I'm just doing a trial myself, and thus finally got around to reading the 1st of the The Wicked + The Divine. I will add that to the recommendations for sure. Downside - only the first in this series is available and I want (NEED) the next one! Graphic novels are SO expensive (I mean, deservedly so, brilliant work and all that, but, ouch, my bank account does not love them).

^ US based libraries may buy into Hoopla which gives you e-versions of graphic novels for your device (for me iPad but regular computer works too.) Not sure what is done in the UK but maybe ask around your library and see?

John (Taloni) wrote: "^ US based libraries may buy into Hoopla which gives you e-versions of graphic novels for your device (for me iPad but regular computer works too.) Not sure what is done in the UK but maybe ask aro..."

Not in UK :-( by the look of things. Pretty poor graphic novel choices.

Yeah, my library uses an app called 'borrow box' and while it has a decent enough selection of scifi and fantasy e-books and audio books, the comics/graphic novels available are... Well, there are 19 and a number of them have titles like "sparkle unicorn", are suitable for children age 3+ and have a massive 9 pages.

Ruth (tilltab) Ashworth wrote: "Yeah, my library uses an app called 'borrow box' and while it has a decent enough selection of scifi and fantasy e-books and audio books, the comics/graphic novels available are... Well, there are ..."

Some don’t even have pictures 🤯

Iain wrote: "Some don’t even have pictures 🤯 "

You want your comic books to have pictures now? So picky!

These are such great recommendations! Thank you so much, everyone! I don't even know where to start, lol, but it seems like most people (on Twitter, at least) think I should give Saga a go.

Veronica wrote: "but it seems like most people (on Twitter, at least) think I should give Saga a go."

A lot of people here are saying Saga too :-)

You won't regret it. The story is epic and Fiona Staples' artwork is stunning.

I'd love a print of one, or more, of her Saga covers on my wall.

https://www.essentialsequential.com/F...

They don’t have much in stock currently, and I don’t know how much international shipping is, but it may be an option.

I ended up picking up the canvas one for issue 8 a few years ago, and it is one of my favorite pieces.

With it being the age of digital creation there is not as much original comic book art out there, so things like this are a nice to have.

I wish they had a bigger choice. My favourites aren't available.

I love Issue #8 as well.