The Sword and Laser discussion
Introduction and welcome thread!
Kim wrote: "Hello, my name is Kim and I am a bookaholic ;-), and part time IT worker. My favorite genres are Fantasy (most sub genres), Science Fiction, Horror and suspense.Favorite authors are in no particu..."
Kim, Locke and Key is amazing! Love the whole series! Have you tried Joe Hill's other stuff?
Hey, my name is Jim and I'm an avid gamer and reader. My favorite authors are Card and Tolkien. The Ender saga is definitely my go to book when I'm bored. I also loved His Dark Materials quite a bit. When I feel like jumping into a long reading adventure I'll pick up the Dark Tower saga.Heard about this group through Geek and Sundry and I love it already. I hope to read a lot more because of this group :-)
Hi, my name is Scott. I discovered Sword and Laser through Geek & Sundry and love what I have seen of the community.I love both Fantasy and Sci-Fi, with a special place in my heart for time travel.
My favorite authors include:Ray Bradbury, Heinlein Robert a., J.R.R. Tolkien, and J.K. Rowling.
I just discovered Magician: Apprentice from Raymond E. Feist and can't wait to dig into it.
Hello everyone! My name is Bryan. I'm an avid reader, and have just come over to the board from the G&S S&L show. I figured two shows in was about as long as I could put off joining the insanity. :DI read mainly Urban Fantasy anymore, but I still dip my toes into hard scifi or high fantasy from time to time. My favorite authors are Douglas Adams, Jim Butcher, Tom Holt, Neil Gaiman, Kalayna Price, Mercedes Lackey... just to name a few...
I look forward to following along with the rest of the group. So thanks for having me!
Hi,I'm Coan, like everyone here I also really like science fiction and fantasy books (got hooked at a young age and find them very relaxing to read).
Some of my fav authors at the moment are: Patrick Rothfuss, Glen Cook, Richard K. Morgan, Alastair Reynolds and Terry Pratchett among many others.
I mainly read a lot of new authors but am making time to read some of the classics. Two on my shelf to read are the Red Mars series of books and Shadow and Claw group.
I'm still on dead tree editions as I like having my library of books when I get home. Unfortunately this means I'm not up to date of the very newest releases.
Hello there! My name is Gemma and I am relatively new to reading sci-fi/fantasy books (being dyslexic its hard to get through a book), even though I love the genre in tv and movies. Being a fan of the genre, I've finally decided to put in the work and jump into some books! I'm looking forward to exploring strange new worlds and discovering new stories with you.
My favorite authors so far have been Neil Gaiman, good ol' JRR Tolkien and Terry Pratchett.
Hi everyone,My name is Tanya and this my first book club post anywhere ever. I originally heard about Sword and Laser through Veronica's other book club Vaginal Fantasy Hangout. (Although I enjoy watching the book club discussions on Google+, I've yet to delve into the genre.)
After watching the last episode of Sword and Laser on Geek and Sundry, I told my husband (who primarily reads SciFi) that the pick for May was Hyperion, and he convinced me to give it a go.
I'm a little nervous, because I'm relatively new to both SciFi and Fantasy. So far, I've read Ender's Game (which blew my mind) and Canticle for Leibowitz (which I found unbelievably sad). Fantasy wise, I've read Phillip Pullman's Dark Materials trilogy, the first four Harry Potters and Daughter of the Forest by Juliet Marillier.
All in all, I'm looking forward to expanding my literary comfort zone, while getting to know some new people in the process.
Thanks so much,
Tanya
Hi, I'm Janice.I was introduced to The Sword and Laser through the Geek and Sundry youtube channel, and I am excited to read the next book!
Hello everyone! My name is Nancy. I'm a librarian living in Maine and I'm another one that discovered The Sword and Laser through youtube. I'm more of a sword than a laser myself, but I've been getting into sci-fi more and more in the past year. My favorite books include Kushiel's Dart by Jacqueline Carey, Jonathan Strange and Mr Norrell by Susanna Clarke, Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card, Feed by Mira Grant, and The Curse of Chalion by Lois McMaster Bujold. I also enjoy anything by Tamora Pierce. Some other genres I enjoy include paranormal, historical fiction, contemporary fiction, and the occasional classic.At the moment, I'm reading Kit Whitfield's alternate history/mermaid fantasy In Great Waters, and listening to the audiobook of Scott Westerfeld's steampunk alternate world war 2 set Leviathan. Apparently I'm in an alternate history mode!
Hi, I'm educated as a physicist but have spent most of my life so far with computer systems. I blame Asimov for my early interest in physics - he mentioned e=mc^2 in one of his stories and that made me curious.
My favorite authors are PKD, early Isaac Asimov, Stanislaw Lem, A. E. Van Vogt, Daniel F. Galouye, Ted Chiang, Orson Scott Card, Ursula Le Guin.
I've been listening to the S&L podcast and TNT for a long time but the video version of S&L encouraged me to join the group and maybe post a comment or two from time to time. I'm not usually fond of the fantasy books. Looking forward to reading Hyperion though I do NOT intend to get the $349 hard cover version at Amazon. LOL.
I follow Tom on Twitter. To be exact, I have him on a list. I find it easier to organize information and people by lists on Twitter and never "follow" anyone. Does anyone else do that?
I'm Melanie. I love listening and getting good ideas on the new books for me to pick up. I have 4 kids 3 with disabilities so I don't get a lot of reading done but I'm glad I found a podcast/book club that shares my interests. Thanks!!!!
Hello! :) I'm Chantell. I enjoy reading books of all genres, with the exception of horror. owo Scary things are scary. Anyways. I'm currently reading Brainpower Game Plan, and A Game Of Thrones.
I'm Chad, a Family Physician and lifelong SF&F book addict. I somehow missed Sword and Laser, even though its right up my alley, until I came across it on Geek and Sundry. I've read Hyperion before and I'm not sure I'm ready to re-read it in May, but I'll listen in. I remember that I read it after I read Canterbury Tales which made it more interesting.
Howdy, I'm Kane. I've always had a complicated relationship with Fantasy and Sci-Fi works. My feelings on individual authors tend towards extreme, and I have a hard time reading anything for pure escapism. Still, I am a huge fan of older pulp era fiction like Clark Ashton Smith, Lovecraft, Howard, even Derleth. In the more modern times I love early Stephen King, Peter Straub, Greg Bear, Neil Stephenson, William Gibson, and George R.R. Martin. I've never really liked podcasts so I'd never heard of this group, but saw the promo for the youtube video and immediately rushed out and bought the magicians. Of course, I then forgot to actually come post over here and join the discussion. Going to rectify that now.
Hi, I'm Josh.Some of my favorite authors are: C.S. Lewis, J.R.R. Tolkien, Stephen Lawhead, Dennis McKiernan, and Terry Brooks among others. I'm interested in getting more into sci-fi, as well as start reading some of the big series like Star Wars, Star Trek, D&D etc.
Hello, my name is ^ (see above)I am a 38-year-old former military, currently unemployed, network infrastructure technician. I read primarily SF and fantasy - favorite authors include C.J. Cherryh, Lois McMaster Bujold, Orson Scott Card, George R.R. Martin, and Robert A. Heinlein. I also subscribe to Asimov's Science Fiction magazine, which has been a great place to find new up and coming authors to read.
Hello everybody! I'm Megan and I'm new to Goodreads.When I read on my own I get distracted very easily. Right now I'm "reading" 3 different books depending on what my mood is and I probably won't be finishing any of them any time soon. I hope this group will motivate me to not only actually finish a book, but also gain a deep understanding of it. Also, I'm actually kind of scared of this genre in books for some reason. I just can't seem to approach the sci-fi/fantasy section with all its epic cover art. Some guided exploration through this group will, I hope, will help me discover some gems I otherwise wouldn't.
Hi, I'm Brett.I'm a college student working on my BS degree in Computer Science. In my free time I'm an avid reader and gamer.
My favorite authors right now are Joe Abercrombie, Jim Butcher, and Haruki Murakami, but I'm trying to get into more laser stuff now that I've joined Sword and Laser.
Hi, I'm David and I've been reading science fiction and fantasy (much heavier on the science fiction) since I was a child. Ive been listening to lots of other frogpants shows over the years and finally decided to try out the sword and laser, among others, and really enjoyed it, motivating me to join this group
Hello! My name is John and I have been a voracious SF/Fantasy reader since I was about 12. I listen to a ton of audio books and love my kindle!
My favorite authors are Heinlein, Niven, Tokien, G.R.R. Martin, L. E. Modesitt, Jr, Bradbury... oh too many to list.
I have been enjoying the S&L show on Geek and Sundry and look forward to being a part of this group.
Hi there,I'm Sonic Alpha. While I'd love to say my parents were hippies when they were naming me, I can't, that's just my gamertag ;)
I've been avid reader for most of my life, and have quite a collection of physical books lining my shelves. However my current weapon of choice is my Kindle.
I got my Kindle (wifi Kindle keyboard) last year, and I've been addicted ever since. I have a bit of a thing for vampire books, along with some fantasy, sci-fi, & crime fiction.
When it comes to sword & laser genres, I'm not quite sure which I prefer. I tend to read a lot of things on either side of the spectrum, though I do seem to have more sci-fi books than fantasy.
I discovered the S&L show through Geek and Sundry, and wish I'd known about it sooner. I'm looking forward to being part of the group :)
Feel free to add me to your friends lists, as I'm always interested in connecting with like-minded readers ;)
Hi, I'm Shannon. My tastes for reading are all over the place (though lately I've been sticking primarily to the classics and some historical biography). I was really active in general fiction book groups/clubs in high school but haven't found one locally that I like as an adult. I have also been looking for some way to get more experience in Fantasy (though I have read quite a bit of it) and SciFi (which pretty much terrifies me). When I saw the link for this show on Geek and Sundry, I decided to check it out and ended up here. I lurked for the discussion of The Magicians and have just decided to start jumping into the discussion of Hyperion.
I'm Eric. And I'm a read-a-holic. Or I used to be. Very busy these days, but I try to get in as much reading as possible. Saw the shown on Geek and Sundry and loved it. Didn't love The Magicians very much, look forward to Hyperion. I go both ways....both swords AND lasers! :) Had to join up and say hi!
Hi Megan,I'm right there with you. My husband is a huge SciFi reader and has been trying to get me into it since I met him, but I've always been intimidated by the scope of the works and the unfamiliar vocabulary. Although I have to admit, both of the books I actually took him up on were fantastic!
I'm less than 100 pages into May's pick, Hyeprion, and even though there is definitely a bit of a learning curve, I'm finding it really enjoyable.
Take care,
Tanya
Megan wrote: "Hello everybody! I'm Megan and I'm new to Goodreads.
When I read on my own I get distracted very easily. Right now I'm "reading" 3 different books depending on what my mood is and I probably won'..."
Hi, I'm Valentin. Science-Fiction is a great source of inspiration to me. I don't think that our technological advancement is limited by anything more than visions and people who make them come true. I really enjoy reading hard sci-fi, as well as near future novels, like Frank Schätzings Limit. Lately, I read some zombie novels as well.
I came over from Geek&Sundry and that started it all (getting the podcast in my feedreader, registering here).
It is amazing how fast I got addicted to your podcast ;-)
I was really excited when you announced Hyperion as the next novel, as I really enjoyed reading it and now feel motivated to start with Endymion.
Keep up the great stuff!
Hello, I'm Adam.I'm a long time Sci-fi and Fantasy reader. I started with Piers Anthony's Xanth series in elementary school and never looked back.
Some of my favorite Authors are Terry Pratchett, Charles Stross, Jasper Fforde, Neil Gaiman, David Brin, Neal Stevenson, and Issac Assimov.
For me reading is an almost like drinking wine. I need to pick the right one to accompany my mood. Today might be a chapter of Stranger in a Strange Land, while tomorrow I resume a fantasy novel.
I look forward to finding new books with this group that I otherwise might have missed and discussing them with others.
Hello! I'm John. I'm new here.
I'm a longtime sf reader, but my reading has slowed down a lot lately. I'm looking forward to reading along each month and being exposed to books that I probably wouldn't check out otherwise.
I'm a longtime sf reader, but my reading has slowed down a lot lately. I'm looking forward to reading along each month and being exposed to books that I probably wouldn't check out otherwise.
Hey I found your little review factory thanks to Geek and Sundry! My favourite book of all time is Star Maker by Olaf Stapledon, and am also wild about some of the more 'cerebral' aspects of sci-fi/fantasy e.g. Philip K Dick.
Cheers,
Jon (UK)
Hello, I'm Sherlene.I use to read a great deal once upon a time. I was very much a Fantasy, Mystery, and Horror buff. It was my husband who introduced me to the wonders of Sci-Fi. Now 3 kids later all my reading consisted of Dr. Seuss and If you give a mouse a cookie. Now my little ones are all school age and I would love to get back to reading for me again. I love Piers Anthony, Stephen King, Dean Koontz and Robert A. Heinlein. I also have a slue of a Manga in my collection as well. I look forward to taking part in everything this club has to offer.
Hi i'm Zack and a movie fanatic and a gamer, just wanted to read some good books
Hello all, my name is Doug. I jumped into Sword & Laser with "The Lies of Locke Lamora" and am just now getting around to making an introduction post. I have been a voracious reader for as long as I can remember and will read just about anything I can get my hands on. In fact, there are almost too many things I wish to read and that is why I love S&L. It helps me decide what to read next! As I said, I will read just about anything, especially Indie authors, and love to give reviews. If anyone has suggestions for what to read, I am open to it. Looking forward to the next book "Hyperion." Love the podcast and love the new show on Geek and Sundry.
Hello! My name is Rachel, here because a friend introduced me to Sword & Laser. I like reading a little bit of everything - hard science fiction, high fantasy, mystery, urban fantasy, alternate history. I am absolutely ecstatic that the book club pick for this month is Hyperion, I absolutely adore Dan Simmons.
Hi my name's Michael, enjoy a mix of fantasy,urban fantasy, and some sci fi (mostly star trek or time travel related). I recently bought a new tv that had net TV, which introduced me to Tekzilla, after watching the show and the daily tips hosted by Veronica for a few weeks I decided to find out more about Veronica other show/job (Podcast @ the time) and when I listen to the one of the most recent podcast, I discovered its was becoming a you tube show like Tekzilla so I knew I had to join the group.Favorite authors Terry Brooks,Piers Anthony,Robert Asprin, Robert Jordan, Charline Harris, and MaryJanice Davidons . Has the group read any Betsy books?
Bah-weep-Graaaaagnah wheep ni ni bong
Hello! My name is Robyn and I discovered Sword and Laser through the new Geek and Sundry channel. After seeing the first episode I joined here on GoodReads and am catching up on the podcasts, which I am loving. I have been a huge fantasy nerd since childhood, and am just now getting more into sci-fi tv and movies. I hope to widen my reading by following along with this group.
Barry here. I'm a novelist living in Colorado. I hope to finish The Aluminum Knight after I finish Midnight in Purgatory in May. The heir to the throne of King Arthur is a Nebraska farmer? Why not!
Hi, I'm Anna. I have been addicted to books since i was a little girl. My favourite genres are (urban) fantasy, contemporary, post apocalyptic and historical fiction. I would like to become more familiar with science fiction, which is why i joined this group. Hopefully one day I will enjoy reading about space ships :) My favourite authors are: George R R Martin, Philip Pulman, Charlaine Harris + many non- sword and laser authors. I recently read the Passage by Justin Cronin, and it' s highly recommendable.
I'm looking forward to new reading challenges :)
Hi, I'm Sigrid.I'm a Belgian student, and relatively new to the genre of sci-fi and fantasy.
My favorite authors are Neil Gaiman, George R.R.Martin and of course J.K.Rowling (I grew up on the Harry Potter books).
Right now I'm reading A Game Of Thrones, and I'm waiting for Hyperion to arrive in the mail.
I came here through Geek and Sundry, and I'm really happy I found you guys, because this is an excellent way of discovering new books and authors!
Hi, I'm Kate!I just discovered S&L from the Geek & Sundry channel. I grew up on SciFi, and love just about all of it - love fantasy too. My favorite book in the entire world is Frank Herbert's Dune. Just picked up "The Magicians" since I was looking for the next book to read. Looking forward to participating!
Hi, I'm Hassen. I'm new to sci-fi and Fantasy world of books. I enjoy Tekzilla and Tech News so I recognize the hosts of S&F so hopefully I would get suggestion of great reads in this genre from this group. Looking forward to being in this group.
Hello folks,Been lurking and random posting of late, so I thought I'd give a quick hat-tip over here (fedoras will never go out of style).
Like many of you, I love fantasy and sci-fi. Sad to say I haven't done as much reading in the last couple of years, but I'm hoping to get a little more into it through discussion groups and whatnot.
Cheers!
Hello, I'm Jennifer.I heard about this group after listening to the Vagina Fantasy hang out on Geek & Sundry.
I love Fantasy, Science Fiction and my Kindle!
Really looking forward to getting involved in book club discussions
:D
Hi, I'm Kelsy! I, too, found out about this group through Geek & Sundry. I've mostly been hanging out on the fantasy end of the spectrum, but I'm excited to read some great sci-fi and find new favorites.
Hello, I'm Tony.I love anything with a story books, movies, comics, anime, or TV. I joined Goodreads to keep track of the books I own and to find new ones when I am running low. I joined The Sword and Laser because I like the clubs tastes in books.
My favorite authors are Terry Pratchett, Jim Butcher, Tom Holt, Douglas Adams, Simon R. Green, Kim Harrison, Brandon Sanderson, and Robert J. Sawyer.
Hey I am also a new fan via the Geek and Sundry channel. I have read SciFi and Fantasy for a long time and enjoy an eclectic range of books from both. I have a soft spot for slightly less well known old SciFi authors like Jack Vance and Kieth Laumer however I also enjoy the classics of Sword and Laser such as Tolkien and Asimov. My current favorite authors are Elizabeth Moon, Steven Brust, Terry Pratchett and Kate Forsyth.
I was originally given/awarded some David Eddings books way bak 90s way and got bored with the slowish start of them. It was not until years later, after having read some random book I picked out of the library when I was there for a school project (back when you used libraries for such things) that I went back and read them and really felt a connection with the genre. Reading books then went away as a hobby for a few years until I had one of those semi epiphanic moments and realised that some of the things I was doing for fun were not, and that reading had been something I had considered fun and was not doing. Since then there has hardly been a night that a partly finished book has not been beside my bed.
Beyond the general 'sword' type books I have tried my hand at some 'classics' and some otherwisely 'well known' and 'popular' series (See, Dickens, Reichs, C. S. Lewis, Heller, Adams)...with varying success. (Could not get very far with "Mein Kampf" for example)
It did not take much for this group to nab me, as I was finding it somewhat difficult to choose what to try and read next in my favourite genre.
Here's to the reading.
(Oh, and I did not quite post here first...sorry?)
I had heard about Sword & Laser in the past but finally checked it out for the first time on Geek & Sundry. I really enjoyed the show and thought I would join the community.I had gotten away from reading for quite some time, but started getting back into it recently. Most of my past reading is split between fantasy and stuff by Stephen King.
I'm looking forward to discovering new books and authors through The Sword & Laser.
themenace
Hello, I am Mark. As with many new members, I found this club through Geek & Sundry and decided to give it a try as I am a fan of sf&f books. I am also a first timer as far as book clubs go, so I may take some time getting used to how this all works. My favorite authors within the genres are Anne Bishop, Orson Scott Card, Patricia Briggs, Douglas Adams and more I cant think off at the moment.
Hello everyone, I'm Kristoffer (Christopher for you english types), long time lurker and double-plus long time reader. Love the podcast, haven't gotten around to watching the video version yet - not sure I can live without the what-are-we-drinking segment, but I'll try to manage.
The Sword and Laser
Books mentioned in this topic
Ghosts of the Scattered Kingdoms (other topics)The Sword of Shannara (other topics)
Shadow & Claw (other topics)
A Canticle for Leibowitz (other topics)
A Canticle for Leibowitz (other topics)
More...
Authors mentioned in this topic
Wade Garret (other topics)Gene Wolfe (other topics)
John Scalzi (other topics)
Richelle Mead (other topics)
Brandon Sanderson (other topics)
More...
I heard about Sword and Laser through Falicia Day starting Geek and Sundry. I'm a big gamer so of course I love The Guild.
Anyway, I'm excited about this group and hope to find even more great books to enjoy.
By the way, Veronica your awesome! Like Falicia it's nice knowing there are strong, beautiful and geeky women out there. It makes me feel a little more normal. ;)