The Sword and Laser discussion

http://www.swordandlaser.com/home/201...

Seriously though... I fixed it.

was it Tom's fault?

There's a cute picture of a cat reading 1Q84 in the new Time Magazine, but my google-fu has failed me.

Note that the title of Murakami's book is one-cue-eighty-four, not eye-cue, and no matter what the marketing department says, the "Q" doesn't stand for "question," but is a homonym for "9" in Japanese.

Great show.

They have exciting plans. Be afraid, be very afraid ;)

A Sword and Laser video game? Can I be Tom Merritt?

I think you guys need to wait an extra week before wrapping up Ready Player One/kicking off the next book.

I'm sooo far behind on Reamde. As in, I started yesterday...

Tamahome wrote: "A Sword and Laser video game? Can I be Tom Merritt?"

Can I be V's cat, with my Catty Cat power. PoW.

terpkristin wrote: "I think you guys need to wait an extra week before wrapping up Ready Player One/kicking off the next book.

I'm sooo far behind on Reamde. As in, I started yesterday..."

I'm only 27% into Reamde, but likewise see my going being slow looking at my weeks ahead, so I'd also be happy with another week or so.

Tamahome wrote: ""

I agree. :)

This was the best show in awhile...and that does not mean the other shows were bad.

Picture fixed. :)

If people are having trouble keeping up with new book starts, Veronica might want to add a blog post announcing new books, assuming that's not much extra work. I subscribe to the blog in RSS and the podcast in iTunes, and I check goodreads relatively regularly. Others might only see one or the other. Hopefully this wouldn't be a problem for whatever new things you have planned for goodreads.

Kris wrote: "This was the best show in awhile...and that does not mean the other shows were bad."

Hey Kris, thanks! What did you like about it? Anything in particular?

Veronica wrote: "Kris wrote: "This was the best show in awhile...and that does not mean the other shows were bad."

Hey Kris, thanks! What did you like about it? Anything in particular?"

I thought you and Tom had a less scripted conversation style while still hitting all the info points that are always provided. There were some genuine laugh moments between the two of you like the "I fixed it" bit etc. that I enjoy hearing because it sounds like two people talking face to face while still having the polish and structure of a production. Hope that makes sense...love the show.

Tamahome wrote: "Picture fixed. :)"

boyah.

.. you sure I didn't fix it? ;)

Ben wrote: "If people are having trouble keeping up with new book starts, Veronica might want to add a blog post announcing new books, assuming that's not much extra work. I subscribe to the blog in RSS and t..."

New books get announced/launched on the podcast, listed on Goodreads, and are often also tweeted via the S&L twitter account. I guess what I'm saying is that they are reasonably well broadcasted no?

I think it's more a case of the book being announced as we start it unlike other book clubs I've been in where there is generally some pre-notice (say we will start said book in November) such that people can get a copy, and potentially manage their reading load. T&V and many others (myself now included) are using the ebook route so we get access to said new books rather quickly (a few clicks). However if you’re trying to get a library copy, get to the bookstore, or awaiting an online order to be delivered (which can be weeks from me downunder) I can see how it might be taking some a little more time to get started, or leading to feelings of frustration at feeling left behind.

I can sympathise with this as I struggled to get a copy of Stand on Zanzibar that I was wishing to read with some other S&L members. Said book was not available as an ebook for my location (the joys of regional distrubution). It was checked out of my local library and the remaining BnM bookstore didn't have a copy. Took me a week or so just to get my hands on a copy by which stage we were starting RPO/Reamde so I’ve shelved it for now.

Kris wrote: "I thought you and Tom had a less scripted conversation style while still hitting all the info points that are always provided. There were some genuine laugh moments between the two of you like the "I fixed it" bit etc. that I enjoy hearing because it sounds like two people talking face to face while still having the polish and structure of a production. Hope that makes sense...love the show. "

I agree with everything Kris wrote, but funnily enough, this one seemed like a more focused episode (in a good way).


Andrew wrote: "New books get announced/launched on the podcast, listed on Goodreads, and are often also tweeted via the S&L twitter account. I guess what I'm saying is that they are reasonably well broadcasted no?"

I agree that it's well-broadcasted in general, but if it's not too much work for V&T to post on the blog as well, that definitely helps people like me. I check Twitter once a day (at most), Google+ every other day, and Facebook less frequently, so I almost never get those types of updates. I also can't visit GR from work, but Google Reader works just fine, so I see blog posts first... :D

Of course, if it's too much work, it's not the end of the world in my book, just means I get slightly delayed (and honestly, work does that pretty well on its own anyway....)

terpkristin wrote: "I agree that it's well-broadcasted in general, but if it's not too much work for V&T to post on the blog as well, that definitely helps people like me..."

Doesn't the RSS feed from the website not contain all the details of book wrap ups, and next book notices anyway? The feed I get is just the same as the blog posts for the podcasts and contains all the details? I mean there could be explicit posts I guess if V&T are up for a little more work, but for a podcast really done for fun their posts are already pretty comprehensive.

Also Goodreads already provides an RSS feed for the currently reading books for the group. Just click the little RSS in the bottom right of this page;

http://www.goodreads.com/group/booksh...

..that should be all you RSS lovers need no?

Regarding Downton Abbey: season 1 is on Netflix streaming. Go watch it! It's that good!

Tamahome wrote: "A Sword and Laser video game? Can I be Tom Merritt?"

One of the minigames can be a split-screen Race to Fix a Link!

Andrew wrote: "I can sympathise with this as I struggled to get a copy of Stand on Zanzibar that I was wishing to read with some other S&L members. Said book was not available as an ebook for my location (the joys of regional distrubution). It was checked out of my local library and the remaining BnM bookstore didn't have a copy. Took me a week or so just to get my hands on a copy by which stage we were starting RPO/Reamde so I’ve shelved it for now. "

Technically, Stand on Zanzibar was an additional read of anarchy staged by some of us, never officially Sword and Laser even as an alternate read. A few (terp and JLawrence, I'm looking at you) have recently finished but not gone back to the discussion yet, and Tamahome hasn't started yet (oh yeah, I'm definitely looking at you Tam). All I'm saying is that discussion thread will be around into infinity, and I'd still like to hear what you think, when you get around to it. Cheers!

A. We announce the book on the blog at the same time we post the podcast. The announcement is in the show notes for the podcast. So it *is* announced on the blog.

B. This is the part that really confuses me. When we kick off a book selection, that *is* the announcement that we're going to read a book. It seems silly to me to announce we're going to read a book and then pick some imaginary date when we all start reading it. Once we announce it, many of you are going to jump on it and start reading it right then. Pre-announcing is the same as announcing.

So what seems to be important is not when we announce it, but when we *finish*. Maybe what would solve this is to have set end dates to each selection. That way as soon as you know we're reading a book, you know how much time you have to obtain it and finish it.

So as soon as we pick a book (which honestly people, in a few cases has happened DURING the show. It's not like we're hiding this stuff from y'all) we also announce how long you'll have to read it.

Sound good?

Tom, that sounds like a good solution. Cheers :)

@Jenny: Yes, Stand on Zanzibar (SoZ) was just a side read (sorry if that wasn't clear for people). I was just trying to illuminate how it can take time for some people to get a hold of books which I think we sometimes forget in the age of ebooks. I know I found it a pain after getting so accustomed to having a book I wanted the moment I decided I wanted it due to all my most recent reads being ebooks... and don't worry I'll be jumping back into the discussion on SoZ once I get back to it :)

@Tom: Honestly I'm cool with how things are now. I tend to just hold off listening to a podcast if I don't feel I'm far enough along in said book, or skip that section about the book if I want the news. The addition of chapters in the audio file would probably serve me the most, but I appreciate the extra work this would be for V (and its something she is already aware of having been discussed in the past).

I also see what you are saying re: the start of our pick and the length of time allocated (finish).I do think they are a little different with the notion of such an approach (pre warning) being to aid the likelihood that participants may be in sync (take out or reduce one variable), or at least starting together - not to mention that I think some people are just planners. Other book clubs will even have more regular sequences like one book a month (starting at the first of the month), or every two months etc so people know what the reading load will be.

However considering people are already reading at different paces I'm not going to belabour the point, and honestly I kind of like the slightly random approach to selection (eg. Queen V just declaring this is our pick :) ) and less rigid start dates so personally don't need any further notice or changes to be made.

Jason wrote: "Regarding Downton Abbey: season 1 is on Netflix streaming. Go watch it! It's that good!"

Got some pretty good reviews. 9.1 on IMDB. Wish we had Netflix or anything like it :(

I'm good with whatever T & V want to do.

Let's be honest, I'm not going anywhere. :D

And Jenny...yeah, I'll get back to that thread.

I don't get Audible credits till the 19th, so It's going to take me a bit to get to "Ready Player One."