The Sword and Laser discussion

Happy May! (Cue the Johnathan Coulton song) What are you enjoying this month?

Finishing my second reread of Best Served Cold. Planning to read He Who Drowned the World after.

I'm reading May's pick right now. Next up is Knaves Over Queens: A Wild Cards novel.

I'm revisiting some childhood favorites: The Chronicles of Prydain by Lloyd Alexander.

Just started listening to Skulduggery Pleasant this morning, which is a lot of fun so far. Narration is superb.

About 30% through Tress of the Emerald Sea, it's a light and fun read so far.

Read The Well of Lost Plots, third book in the "Eyre Affair" series. Was pretty roundly disappointed. Jasper Fforde is showing off all sorts of writerly jokes that might have been engaging had he bothered to have a plot. I was modestly annoyed at the second book when he left a major plot point unresolved, and thought surely he'd finished it by the end third book. Nope, still hanging. Along the way he dispenses with some major action points without much in the way of, well, action. I should be loving the silly writing references, but instead I'm reading thinking "Hello, plot?"

I just finished The Harbors of the Sun by Martha Wells. She's a really good writer but didn't do her career any favors by writing a long fantasy series where the protagonists are basically were-lizards. Still, I'm enjoying going back and reading her back-list after getting hooked on Murderbot. Also looking forward to Witch King, coming soon!

Next I'm going to read Lords of Uncreation, which I think may be out today? Excited.

I have two May pre-orders, The Book That Wouldn’t Burn, the new series by Mark Lawrence and The Malevolent Seven by Sebastien de Castell, whose Greatcoats series I loved.

Finished Siege and Storm to try and keep up with the Shadow and Bone tv show, only to realise that the second season of the show covers the third book too - so now I’m reading Ruin and Rising. The Crows books are better - Leigh Bardugo improves a lot as a writer imho.

I gave up on Children of Time and moved on in audio to Carrying the Fire: An Astronaut's Journeys which is Michael Collins' autobiography.

I'm also reading Fight, Magic, Items: The History of Final Fantasy, Dragon Quest, and the Rise of Japanese RPGs in the West with my eyes.

terpkristin wrote: "I gave up on Children of Time and moved on in audio to Carrying the Fire: An Astronaut's Journeys which is Michael Collins' autobiography."

This photo blows my mind: it’s a picture of everyone alive in 1969 (including me!)… except Michael Collins, who took it.
🤯 🌙

I'm doing Dracula Daily again this year, this time in the audio format provided by the Re: Dracula podcast.

I'm also reading in hard copy the anthology All Worlds Wayfarer: Prismatic Dreams. Some great stories in there, including (self-promotion alert) one written by me!

Just finished the audiobook of Cold War thriller Spy Line by Len Deighton. Now I’m starting Children of Memory by Adrian Tchaikovsky, second sequel to our book of the month

I had a months-long hold for The Midnight Library come available last week; grabbed it and got about 20% in and it just didn't click, it was dead flat boring for me. Switched to BOM and that's carrying me along, about 50% through and liking it.

John (john) wrote: "I had a months-long hold for The Midnight Library come available last week; grabbed it and got about 20% in and it just didn't click, it was dead flat boring for me. Switched to BOM..."

I wasn't a fan of The Midnight Library either, I don't remember details but I do remember the main themes being obvious and making me think "well yeah, duh...."

About 70% through The Monsters We Defy, and enjoying it so far. It's fantasy set in 1920s Washington DC and involves the spirit realm, with Engimas that give Charms but also Tricks, like making a deal with the devil. Fun and easy to read, but with a mystery vibe that makes it exciting to track with.

John (john) wrote: "I had a months-long hold for The Midnight Library come available last week; grabbed it and got about 20% in and it just didn't click, it was dead flat boring for me. Switched to BOM..."

The Midnight Library is an odd one, it’s one of those books that’s fantasy but marketed as litfic and all the litfic readers swoon over how clever the idea is and all the fantasy readers (well, me at any rate) go “well that ending was obvious but I have questions about the world building works…”

Devoured the new Brust, Tsalmoth. The books are always interesting since internal chronological order isn't publication order and it takes a second to place where this is happening within the series. Diving into In the Shadow of Time next and looking forward to new releases from fave authors (Stross and Wells) later this month.

Finished the Prydain books (including the short story collection The Foundling and Other Tales of Prydain, which I had never read back in the day) and, on a whim, started Heir to the Empire by Timothy Zahn, the no-longer-canonical book that started the whole Star Wars revival back in the 90s.

Just finished the Vorkosigan series by McMaster Bujold. I read them in the authors recommended chronological order and after a shaky start the books went from good, to great, to amazing, (then fell down a bit on the last one). Including all the novella's there are 23 stories in this series but all worth reading. Many of them won awards such as the Hugo. Highly recommended.
Note: a lot of them are are available for free as part of an Audible Plus subscription. Read by Grover Gardner, who does an amazing job.

AndrewP wrote: "Just finished the Vorkosigan series by McMaster Bujold. I read them in the authors recommended chronological order and after a shaky start the books went from good, to great, to amazing, (then fell..."

I concur. Bingeing them was the best way to enjoy them in my opinion. I also agree about Gardner’s narration.

Currently listening to the 3rd installment of Jim C. Hines’ Janitors of the Post-Apocalypse series, Terminal Peace. Just started today, but already the crew of the Pufferfish is in deep doodoo. Just the way we like it.

Finished Children of Time and decided to start Venomous Lumpsucker by Ned Beauman because William Gibson has tweeted about it at least a couple of times now.

Looking at my upcoming library holds and there will be room in the next few weeks. Could rotate in some Jasper Fforde books but books 2 and 3 roundly annoyed me with an unresolved plot point. For those who are fans, (view spoiler)[does she ever rescue her husband? And if so, how many more books before she does? Or does he just lay out there as a small thread, always erased? (hide spoiler)]

Mark wrote: "Finished Children of Time and decided to start Venomous Lumpsucker by Ned Beauman because William Gibson has tweeted about it at least..."
Ned's stuff is an automatic pre-order for me now; I also started reading him because of a mention by Gibson

Joseph wrote: "...on a whim, started Heir to the Empire by Timothy Zahn, the no-longer-canonical book that started the whole Star Wars revival back in the 90s."

You and I are on the same wavelength. I plan to start that one in the next month or so. I missed the trilogy when it first came out but I feel like reading it now since Thrawn will be playing a part in the upcoming Asoka series.

AndrewP wrote: "Read by Grover Gardner, who does an amazing job."

Oh man. I can't listen to most things he reads because he does the FABULOUS narration for the Andy Carpenter books and he is ONLY Andy Carpenter in my head. It becomes weird to hear "Andy" in other roles.

RJ - Slayer of Trolls wrote: "Joseph wrote: "...on a whim, started Heir to the Empire by Timothy Zahn, the no-longer-canonical book that started the whole Star Wars revival back in the 90s."

You and I are on the same wavelengt..."

I just got the new Thrawn from the library. I also figured I might as well see what the fuss is about. I only know him from Rebels.

While the character is written much the same, to the best of my memory in both the old trilogy, and the new series, and in Rebels. The interesting thing is having him go from the antagonist in the old one to the protagonist in the new one.

I’ve read a book or two of the new, and quite liked them. And do mean to keep going at some time, but just have found other books in the meantime.

Finished the short story anthology All Worlds Wayfarer: Prismatic Dreams and started reading the romantic comedy I Kissed Shara Wheeler by Casey McQuiston (author of the time-travel romance One Last Stop).

Ruth wrote: "Finished the short story anthology All Worlds Wayfarer: Prismatic Dreams and started reading the romantic comedy I Kissed Shara Wheeler by ..."

Are you reading 2 books a day? So just how long are the boys’ naps?

I always get so many recommendations from these threads…,I feel like adding a tag SLOthers, so I know where I got it from. Does anyone else do that? I have a small set of tags, but never thought to tag from these.

Trike wrote: "Ruth wrote: "Finished the short story anthology All Worlds Wayfarer: Prismatic Dreams and started reading the romantic comedy I Kissed Shara Wheeler by ..."

Are you..."

Lol no. I’m not getting nearly as much time to read as I’d like! I’ve *finished* 23 books so far this year but I keep starting new ones- I have six books on the go at the current time. I tend to post here when I start a new book.

Listening to Thrawn. The story itself is middling, but the narration by Marc Thompson is SPECTACULAR.

The dude commits. Not only is he perfectly over-the-top when he needs to be, he’s doing brilliant impressions of the actors who’ve originated the characters. His Thrawn sounds exactly like TV Thrawn, his Emperor Palpatine sounds exactly like movie Palpatine.

They’ve even dropped in sound effects and music, so it’s not-quite a radio play.

Trike wrote: "His Thrawn sounds exactly like TV Thrawn,"

He originated the voice of Thrawn with Heir to the Empire

I'm not sure if the voice actor who they got to play him on Rebels listened to those audio books or what, but they pre-date Rebels.

He is fantastic though.

Rob wrote: "Trike wrote: "His Thrawn sounds exactly like TV Thrawn,"

He originated the voice of Thrawn with Heir to the Empire

I'm not sure if the voice actor who they got to play him on Rebe..."

TIL

I just finished fourth wing by Rebecca Yarros, which was swashbuckling political intrigue fun with some pretty sexy romance as well.
I’m halfway through Elysian fire by Alastair Reynolds, which is just as good as I expected.
and I just picked up the priory of the orange tree by Samantha Shannon from the library after waiting patiently for my hold to come around.

I just finished Three Body Problem, and am picking pieces of my brain off the floor. I actually watched the Chinese tv show on youtube first, and it fills in some characters a bit more—there's a female cop named Twelve, a female assassin, and the background radiation scientist eats a lot of doritos.

Trike wrote: "...TIL"

Truth in Lending?

Today I learned.

The one that got me recently, that I felt silly for not figuring out earlier was ISO (In Search of). For some reason it seems to have replaced WTB (want to buy), on things like Craigslist.

Another that is closer to TIL, that always takes me a second, is ElI5, meaning "Explain like I'm 5".

TIL ELI5

John (Nevets) wrote: "The one that got me recently, that I felt silly for not figuring out earlier was ISO (In Search of). For some reason it seems to have replaced WTB (want to buy), on things like C..."

Probably some Nimoy fan did it as a joke, it caught on, and now nobody knows why.

ISO isn't ISO Visa spec? Who knew..not me.

Ruth wrote: "TIL ELI5"

I use "Explain Like I'm Dumb" at work or "Explain like I'm at 200,000 feet level."

Maybe I will try ELI5 - or name my AI helper that at least?

Once I finished Children Of Time I rolled right into Children of Ruin.

Also listening to a non sc-fi/fantasy audiobook "Dominicana" by Angie Cruz.

Finished Ruin and Rising by Leigh Bardugo and with it the Shadow and Bone trilogy. It’s a stronger finish to the trilogy than the lacklustre middle book.

Next up I think I’ll try From Unseen Fire by Cass Morris, one of the hosts of my (other) favourite podcast, Worldbuilding For Masochists.

Joseph wrote: "on a whim, started Heir to the Empire by Timothy Zahn, the no-longer-canonical book that started the whole Star Wars revival back in the 90s."

Reading Dark Force Rising at age 13 (and installing X-Wing) are a big part of what turned me into a Star Wars fan. I hope you enjoy them.

I just finished The Fall of Hyperion. Gosh, there's some really big ideas in here. There's a ton of good stuff ... also a lot of Christian allegory, a literal deus ex machina, John Keats is the best. Poet. EVAR. and the Higgs-field is made of quantum love foam.

I was planning to read Children of Time next but I might be a bit late in the month now.

Pumpkinstew wrote: “I was planning to read Children of Time next but I might be a bit late in the month now”

Nonsense! We’re barely halfway through May. Plenty of time to catch up. Plus CoT is a banger of a book so I reckon you can read it quickly.

Yeah once CoT gets going it's very hard to put down. You can do it Pumpkinstew!

Finished listening to the audiobook of Children of Memory by Adrian Tchaikovsky (threequel to our BotM) and moved on to an old S&L pick I didn’t read at the time, The Doomsday Book by Connie Willis