The Sword and Laser discussion

Our pick for next month will be: Elatsoe by Darcie Little Badger.

This book was chosen by our guest host for the month: Alex Brown. Alex is a librarian, local historian, author and Tor & Locus reviewer.

I’ve already started it, and am really enjoying it so far (about 4 chapters in).

Is someone looking at my library loans?!

It looks cool.

Our 3rd Native American author (all female). Our 1st book from the 2020s.

Our 16th female author in the last 21 books. Which is a good thing. Our early years of S&L was a bit too male dominated.

It's available in audio in Hoopla, if you have access to it. I like to see that! And under 10 hours.

No audiobook available on Audible. Kindle edition is over a tenner. The blurb isn’t grabbing me. I feel bad about being such a miseryguts on main, but I think I’m going to sit this one out. (I’m batting 0 with the guest picks so far! Hoping I like the March Madness winner)

The audio sample wasn't great for me, but I can get it from Overdrive and if I try to do the ebook I know I won't read it.

So I'll give the audio a go. Doesn't really sound appealing to me either, but at least it's not Dystopian like the first 2 guest picks!

Ruth wrote: "No audiobook available on Audible..."

I found it on Audible (at least it is in the US store). I'm not familiar with this book but it looks interesting.

It looks like a YA book. I might sit this one out.

Ruth wrote: "No audiobook available on Audible. Kindle edition is over a tenner. The blurb isn’t grabbing me. I feel bad about being such a miseryguts on main, but I think I’m going to sit this one out. (I’m ba..."

Ack, I always save a credit for the S&L book, it's such a shame it's not on Audible yet. You'd think by now they'd do global publishing releases. The Kindle price (although high, I agree) I can forgive on a book that's only six months old.

I'm not particularly interested in books set in the US, but I'll give the sample a go.

Audio available in Scribd https://www.scribd.com/audiobook/4731...

If you're not a subscriber you can do the free trial just for this book.

The book is available at LA Public Library and LA County Library with about a six week wait. Which in practice will be about four weeks. So with the long lead time, I'll get it in plenty of time. Might be worth checking libraries for it.

Silvana wrote: "Audio available in Scribd https://www.scribd.com/audiobook/4731...

If you're not a subscriber you can do the free trial just for this book."

That book isn't available to us aussies in audio format from any service, including Scribd.

You know, y'all can actually read the book. I hear that's still done by some throwbacks...

Geez none of us realised that 🙄

It's all about choice. I prefer eBooks, some prefer audiobooks.

Having it available in both formats in some regions and only eBook in other regions, just because publishers haven't done deals here is ridiculous in the 21st century.

Misti wrote: "Ruth wrote: "No audiobook available on Audible..."

I found it on Audible (at least it is in the US store). I'm not familiar with this book but it looks interesting."

I double-checked and... nope. Not on Audible UK. Seems like a bit of an oversight not to make it available in audio internationally. Oh well. I don’t pretend to understand the mind of publishers.

Tina wrote: "It looks like a YA book. I might sit this one out."

Quite a few reviewers describe it as Mid-Grade, not even YA.

Yet if we discount books that are accessible to younger readers, we discount all of Narnia. The Hobbit would be gone as well. A Wrinkle In Time and its sequels. For those who like Heinlein (yes, I know it's not everybody here) we'd have to drop Starship Troopers, originally written for a YA audience. Is the movie "Secret of NIMH" a kid's movie, or is there much more to it? The Harper Hall trilogy, female-oriented YA or a commentary on parenting and believing in yourself?

I'm fine with books accessible to younger readers. I can't even call it "YA" or whatever the category is supposed to be, as those books attract plenty of older readers. Often meaning is multi-layered, and a child gets a surface understanding while an adult digs deeper. Heck, there's even a Zen of Pooh.

Rick wrote: "You know, y'all can actually read the book. I hear that's still done by some throwbacks..."

As Tassie Dave said, it's about preference, but more that that: it's about accessibility too. The prevalence of audio books these days makes consuming literature far easier for those who have difficulty with physical reading for whatever reason: neurodiversity, physical disability, illiteracy, financial situation.

And before anyone (and this directed at everyone) says "Oh I didn't mean disabled people": yeah, you did. Your ableism speaks loudly.

The blurb doesn’t excite me (vampires ugh) but it is in audio in the US so after they wrap up The Fold, I’ll start it. I don’t want to start so early that I finish too early.

Elizabeth wrote: "Rick wrote: "You know, y'all can actually read the book. I hear that's still done by some throwbacks..."

As Tassie Dave said, it's about preference, but more that that: it's about accessibility to..."

Elizabeth wrote: "Rick wrote: "You know, y'all can actually read the book. I hear that's still done by some throwbacks..."

As Tassie Dave said, it's about preference, but more that that: it's about accessibility to..."


Actually, I was just tweaking people. It amuses me that some of the regulars here are so attached to their audio. But hey, it's your high horse, ride it if you want, but let's not pretend that the majority of audio book listeners are at all disabled. It is, for the vast majority a preference. Which is fine... it just tickles me that so many of those here are into it.

Elizabeth wrote: "Rick wrote: "You know, y'all can actually read the book. I hear that's still done by some throwbacks..."

As Tassie Dave said, it's about preference, but more that that: it's about accessibility to..."

Thanks, Elizabeth. I was going to respond, but then didn’t. You said it much more nicely than I would have.

Rick wrote: "Elizabeth wrote: "Rick wrote: "You know, y'all can actually read the book. I hear that's still done by some throwbacks..."

As Tassie Dave said, it's about preference, but more that that: it's abou..."

I just wish you'd remember in your 'tweaking' that you're doing it in a global reading community that encompasses a variety of people, few of whose circumstances you know. Your posts come across as extremely antagonistic and although you direct them for the main part at people who will take it on the chin or simply ignore you, I feel like it creates an atmosphere that discourages lurkers to actually post and participate in our community.

I actually read this one last month, and really enjoyed it. The heroine is openly asexual, and has the inherited ability to call up ghosts (for reasons, you don't call up human ghosts, but she is accompanied by her pet cocker spaniel, and later ends up pulling up a trilobyte from a fossil, much like her grandmother who had a ghost mastadon). Then her cousin dies under suspicious circumstances, and calls on her for help. I did appreciate that her parents are in the know and helping, rather than hindering, her.

i got thos from our library earlier than i expected. it was a 14 day loan so i didn't wait to read it. finished already. it was great! now if the library would just buy becky chambers latest novel. I'm 3rd in line once they get a copy.

Steven wrote: "i got thos from our library earlier than i expected. it was a 14 day loan so i didn't wait to read it. finished already. it was great! now if the library would just buy becky chambers latest novel...."

If you mean the new Wayfarers novel, the problem is probably that the release date is about two months in the future. I'm also third on the list at my library and getting very eager now.

Lianne wrote: "I actually read this one last month, and really enjoyed it. The heroine is openly asexual, and has the inherited ability to call up ghosts (for reasons, you don't call up human ghosts, but she is a..."


I really LOVED that the parents supported her and respected her. I don't know if I just have been reading the wrong books, but I don't usually see that in the books I've read.

And, done. This was announced so early I just sped through it. Nice, short read. Now back to Sanderson's Words of Radiance. I have a whole month to read it. I may even get through a quarter of it. :)

I’m surprised at the lack of interest in this book because it instantly appealed to me. I mentioned it to my mum, who felt like she hadn’t got me enough for my birthday (she had) so she snapped up the physical version for me as an extra gift. :D

It’s sitting beside me, and I’m desperate to get started, but I want to finish The Fold first. Though I haven’t read it yet, I highly recommend the physical version because it’s beautiful. I love the cover art and illustrations, and it’s one of these books that just feels good in your hands, you know! The uk hardback edition does anyway. If you like pretty books to sit on your bookshelf, it’s definitely one to get.

Ruth (tilltab) Ashworth wrote: "I’m surprised at the lack of interest in this book because it instantly appealed to me. I mentioned it to my mum, who felt like she hadn’t got me enough for my birthday (she had) so she snapped up ..."

Your description of the hardback has inspired me to reconsider this book - I’ve now read the kindle sample which I enjoyed, and added the hardback edition to my wish list for my birthday which is coming up soon.

The drawings are nice little touches.

I'm hoping I can get my hands on this soon. My local bookstore can't get it in for me till the middle of March. I also wasn't able to get it from my library.

The month has begun. Go forth and discuss!