Mark’s Comments (group member since Apr 13, 2012)

Mark’s comments from the The Sword and Laser group.

A little more on the Hugo finalists...

Legends & Lattes and Nettle & Bone both have ampersands in the title and were Sword & Laser picks (yes, we also have an ampersand, go figure)

S&L read the first novel in three of the Best Series nominations: Rivers of London, Children of Time, and The Locked Tomb.

Travis Baldree, author of Legends & Lattes, was nominated for Astounding Award for Best New Writer

In the latest podcast, Tom and Veronica touched on the fact that all S&L discussions must include Scalzi. Something Scalzi about charging Scalzi for each mention of Scalzi. So, in line with our new Scalzi directive, please note that Scalzi's novel The Kaiju Preservation Society by John Scalzi, was nominated for Best Scalzi Novel.

Half the year has passed,

Sword: 11/25
Laser: 11/25
Comics: 22/25

YTD: 55/100

I'm with Trike on Murderbot

I'll name two S&L picks that were surprisingly enjoyable for me, Bridge of Birds by Barry Hughart, and Bitter Seeds by Ian Tregillis.

Sword: 9/25
Laser: 6/25
Comics: 16/25
YTD: 42/100

Greg Van Eekhout teased a new story this summer in the California Bones universe, titled "The Wolf & The Manticore".

https://twitter.com/gregvaneekhout/st...

This might be a longer version of "The Wolf and the Manticore", a short story by Van Eekhout, which was published in The Book of Magic, edited by Gardner Dozois

"Agnes works at the La Brea Tar Pits helping the Kingdom of Southern California make magical munitions, but she’s secretly spying for the Northern Californians. Unfortunately, someone has figured this out."

Joe Abercrombie says "Now no one get too excited because take it from a man hurt often in the past, there is always plenty of shit that can go wrong..."

Rebecca Ferguson In Talks For Skydance Revenge Pic ‘Best Served Cold’; ‘Deadpool’s Tim Miller Directing

https://deadline.com/2023/05/best-ser...

Best Served Cold by Joe Abercrombie

Well, here's a new and interesting Humble Bundle:

Martha Wells, A.G. Riddle, and More: Audiobooks from Recorded Books

https://www.humblebundle.com/books/ma...

Includes all of Martha Wells' series, The Murderbot Diaries!

Well, here's a new and interesting Humble Bundle:

Martha Wells, A.G. Riddle, and More: Audiobooks from Recorded Books

https://www.humblebundle.com/books/ma...

Includes all of Martha Wells' series, The Murderbot Diaries!

The spines of titles in the Star Trek Graphic Novel Collection are full of starships...

Leading Ladies Book Bundle from Image Comics and Humble Bundle

Catch up on the incredible journey of Alana and her daughter Hazel in volumes 1–10 of the landmark Saga series. Travel back in time for an 80s sci-fi adventure with Paper Girls Erin, MacKenzie, KJ, and Tiffany. Meet Maika, a young girl with a world-changing power in Monstress, created by Marjorie Liu—the first woman to win an Eisner Award for Best Writer. Discover these and more comics & graphic novels featuring unforgettable women leads, and support Binc (Book Industry Charitable Foundation) with your purchase!

https://www.humblebundle.com/books/le...

Babylon 5 returns this summer with an animated film and some of the original stars as voice actors!

Babylon 5: The Road Home continues the story that started on 1990s television, “Travel across the galaxy with John Sheridan as he unexpectedly finds himself transported through multiple timelines and alternate realities in a quest to find his way back home. Along the way he reunites with some familiar faces, while discovering cosmic new revelations about the history, purpose, and meaning of the Universe.”

https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/mov...

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.

Trike wrote: "blonde"

Subterranean Press will publish a signed limited edition of recent S&L pick Nettle & Bone by T. Kingfisher

https://subterraneanpress.com/newsann...

The book will feature a full-color dust jacket and chapter head illustration by John Jude Palencar. Bone-dog is on the cover! No sign of the demon chicken. Perhaps on an interior illustration.

Ruth wrote: "I’m also listening to the audiobook of Spy Hook by Len Deighton, and I’ve just started two new books on Kindle: Siege and Storms by Leigh Bardugo (sequel to Shadow and Bone) and Why We Kneel: How W..."

Hope you enjoy your vacation. Let us know what you think about Siege and Storm. I read Shadow and Bone along with the Crows duology, and I've been watching the Netflix series. The Crows are far more interesting to me than the hand-wavy Grisha. ;-P Maybe that's a tv thing.

Trike wrote: "Star Wars: Visions season 2, Disney+, May 4.

https://youtu.be/InClUXBEqJY

This looks good. I didn’t watch the first season, though. But I’m down for anything Aardman does, and that Wookiee kid ga..."

The first volume was all Japanese anime studios and quite good.

https://youtu.be/lle0NNmvIyU

There is also a tie-in novel Star Wars: Visions - Ronin by Emma Mieko Candon based on one of the anime stories.

Just finished a rewatch of Stargate Atlantis and have moved on to Stargate Universe. Which is like moving from light into dark.

Tassie Dave wrote: "A fun idea would be to let other authors play with the characters and settings.

Authors like T.J.Clune, & T. Kingfisher (Ursula Vernon),"

T. Kingfisher?

Coffee-house bone-cat, sourdough cinnamon roll starter bouncer, gingerbread staff...

I haven't seen the new D&D movie, but there is a prequel to read if you're interested.

Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves: The Road to Neverwinter by Jaleigh Johnson

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0B1WDJQVB

EDIT: make that a couple of prequels

Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves: The Druid's Call by E.K. Johnston

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0B...