It's hot in the Bay Area so we have to keep this episode short before Veronica melts. And a good thing too or she might have kept adding books! We not only kick off T.H. White's The Once and Future King but Veronica adds a second book as well.
Love the podcast and the book discussions! After hearing one of you mention it on one of Leo Laporte's shows I have gotten back into reading and really enjoy the new kindle also. I've read a few of the previous books, World War Z and Bitter seeds, and they were really good. I'll suggest Boneshaker by Cherie Preist. The story is quite good. I don't have a suggestion for a more "sword" focused book so I await the options as there will likely be a few good suggestions. Keep up the great work!
ADDENDUMS
Partner Sticker Fu. Use the code Sword1 and get 10% off the stickers at www.stickerfu.com.
Well folks it's wrap-up time for The Moon is Harsh Mistress and... sadly... Veronica hasn't finished. But we wrap up anyway and Tom makes a shocking revelation that lets Veronica off the hook. And he finished Moon, so it's not that.
Gibson dropped some hints about a little stealth tie-in to Zero History that's going to happen on Twitter soon. Let's just say that you should keep an eye on the Twitter accounts @gaydolphin1 and @gaydolphin2 - those of you who've read the novel know what those accounts are related to.
Veronica still has not finished, she's prepared for her flogging. Tom's thoughts?
NEW BOOK
We're taking suggestions from Classic Fantasy on Goodreads then we'll put it up to a vote.
EMAILS
Hi Veronica, Tom I will try and keep it pithy but I get "wordy" sometimes. :) I asked the question at dragon con if future podcasts could contain a 5 minute segment looking back at classic epic fantasy of the 70s and 80s when readers were starving for good reads. I was thinking of producing my own podcast on this subject but you guys have built a nice listener base so you can do more with this than I.
In October, Stephen R. Donaldson will be releasing his newest novel, "Against All Things Ending", the third book in a four book series that completes the tale of Thomas Covenant he began in 1977 with the book "Lord Foul's Bane". In the 70s & 80s Donaldson sold over 40 million copies and was second only to Tollkien at one time. These books are GOLD.
Another retro author with an impending release is Katherine Kurtz, who will soon release the third book of her "Chylde Morgan" trilogy. This is also a tale that began back in the 70s.
These two great authors have been overshadowed by Jordan and Martin but are easily their equals or better. Please put these on your reading list and introduce this generation's readers to some classic epic fantasy.
If I can be of any assistance in the production of this segment please don't hesitate to let me know.
Regards, Roman Thompson
************
Veronica and Tom, A late addition, but just finished reading Accelerando by Charles Stross. The Earth and the inner planets are completely deconstructed and rebuilt into data storage and processing power for the digital needs of the human race. So, voluntary, resource savvy, non-Armageddon style Earth recycling.
Regards, Peter Hourigan
The following is an excerpt from the Wikipedia page. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Accelerando_(novel)
Plot concepts In Accelerando, the planets of the solar system are dismantled to form a Matrioshka brain, a vast computational device inhabited by minds inconceivably more complex than naturally evolved intelligences such as human beings. This proves to be a normal stage in the life cycle of an inhabited solar system; the galaxies are filled with Matrioshka brains, communicating via wormhole networks. Lesser intelligences may live unmolested around brown dwarf stars.
************
I just listened to #40. I highly recommend Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell in the audio version. I got this at my library and it was very good. Don't give up on the somewhat boring beginning, it's a superb story.
Thanks for the great podcasts!
Peggy Poellot
SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS
This podcast is brought to you by Audible.com the internet’s leading provider of audiobooks with more than 75,000 downloadable titles across all types of literature, including fiction, non-fiction and periodicals. For a free audiobook of your choice, go to audiblepodcast.com/sword.
We suggested:
The City and The City, by China Mieville, read by John Lee
Zero History, by William Gibson Narrated by Robertson Dean
And by our Partner Sticker Fu. Use the code Sword1 and get 10% off the stickers at www.stickerfu.com
Another year, another Dragon*Con come and gone! Thanks to everyone who came out to the live show at the Hilton in Atlanta, we had a total blast. A very special "thank you" goes out to our wonderful guest, author David Gerrold (who famously wrote The Trouble with Tribbles for the original Trek). So please enjoy this extra long episode, and stay tuned for the video version coming soon!
INTERVIEW Bio: David Gerrold - a winner of the Hugo Award and the Nebula Award - is the author of dozens of novels, including Jumping Off the Planet, Bouncing Off the Moon, The Man Who Folded Himself, When Harlie was One, and the The War Against the Chtorr series.
A prolific screenwriter as well as a novelist - he wrote the hugely popular The Trouble with Tribbles episode for the original Star Trek television series. Reccomendations:
