The Sword and Laser

Chuck Wendig has a reputation for cursing. He also has a reputation for being a badass writer of amazing characters in inventive situations, across novels, comics and movies. He also invented cornpunk. Oh wait, he ALSO writes one of the best guides for writers ever made. But what is his favorite word? Well, now you'll just have to watch for that, and to see how many times our editor has to use the bleep button. Spoiler: he uses it more on the hosts than the guest.

Read along with the Sword and Laser book club! From classic science fiction to the latest gritty fantasy, we cover it.

From a debate on whether we should read early chapters from George R.R. Martin's "Winds of Winter" to the usefulness of Asimov's three laws, to our wrap-up of Altered Carbon, this is an episode that should contain a lot of wisdom. Who knows? It might!

Read along with the Sword and Laser book club! From classic science fiction to the latest gritty fantasy, we cover it.

This week you’ll learn how Alastair Reynolds went from Cornwall to a doctorate in astronomy, to pushing ice across the vastness of space. How much do current scientific advances influence him? Does he feel a kinship with Mass Effect? What order should you read his darn books in? All these questions and more will be answered.

Read along with the Sword and Laser book club! From classic science fiction to the latest gritty fantasy, we cover it.

We had a lovely time chatting with Brian McClellan, author of the Powder Mage trilogy. He answers a lot of questions about including history in novels, snorting gunpowder, smoking old-timey pipes while listening to flute music, and making cakes for Sam Sykes.

Read along with the Sword and Laser book club! From classic science fiction to the latest gritty fantasy, we cover it.

Have you been ignoring short stories? You’re missing out! And Rachel Swirsky is one of the best authors to prove it. Find out how this award-winning author and podcaster got into writing and poetry too!

Read along with the Sword and Laser book club! From classic science fiction to the latest gritty fantasy, we cover it.

We evaluate George R. R. Martin's plans to stay ahead of the HBO show, look forward to spaceships returning to SyFy, congratulate Arthur C. Clarke Award finalists and ponder the disgusting need for spit as a payment method in Richard K. Morgan's "Altered Carbon."

Read along with the Sword and Laser book club! From classic science fiction to the latest gritty fantasy, we cover it.

Sorry for the late podcast, everyone! I took a nasty tumble this week and broke my foot and wrist, so everything kind of shut down for a bit! But we're back, and so is Adam Christopher! We talk about the recently released Hang Wire, and upcoming The Burning Dark! http://swordandlaser.com/home/2014/3/15/sl-podcast-166-the-prolific-mr-adam-christopher

Read along with the Sword and Laser book club! From classic science fiction to the latest gritty fantasy, we cover it.

How do you become an award-winning puppeteer AND award-winning writer AND a audiobook narrator? Easy. Be Mary Robinette Kowal. We ask the author of Without a Summer and Valour and Vanity how she fits in all those things and still has time to convincingly imitate Patrick Rothfuss and convince Sam Sykes to make debatable life choices.