The Sword and Laser

By Tom Merritt and Veronica Belmont

Read along with the Sword and Laser book club! From classic science fiction to the latest gritty fantasy, we cover it. Subscribe for book discussions, author interviews, hot releases, and news from th... more

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FAQs about The Sword and Laser:

How many episodes does The Sword and Laser have?

The podcast currently has 405 episodes available.

The Sword and Laser episodes:

April 23, 2026 #532 - Chekhov's Dead Body
Eat zucchini! And Bleu cheese. Also, we didn’t get nominated for a Hugo, but loads of our favorite authors did. We kick off our May read (a little early) and wrap up our spoiler thoughts on The Raven Scholar.
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45min
April 09, 2026 #531 - Interesting Nacho
We have a hurt Veronica, Cadbury eggs, Nebula Award winners, and Tom Bombadil-lo! Plus, we kick off The Raven Scholar and wrap up Automatic Noodle. Which, of course, leads to Veronica's new business plan for a nacho bar.

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54min
March 12, 2026 #530 – You’re Pulling My Noodle
Veronica's sick but she soldiers on and we review the final four of the March tournament. Plus our non-spoiler check in on Automatic Noodle. Also, we talk about our favorite noodles.
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40min
February 27, 2026 #529 - Fuzzy Edges
A voter's guide to our March Madness tournament. How to define genres. Your favorite Sci-Fi/Fantasy quotes. And we wrap up our thoughts on Someplace to Be Flying by Charles de Lint.

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59min
February 12, 2026 #528 - Dazed and Crowfused
It's time for our March book tournament! Nominations are open. Also, Veronica and Tom have shocking revelations about books they have NOT read. Also, why is Tom having a hard time with this month's pick?
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41min
January 29, 2026 #527 - I'm Starting to Worry This Book Isn't Sci-Fi
Andrew Heaton from the Political Orphanage stops by to talk about "I'm Starting to Worry About This Black Box of Doom" by Jason Pargin. Also, Veronica drinks in reverse. You'll understand if you listen.
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56min
January 15, 2026 #526 - Halfway Happy
LACon V(eronica) registration is open, the Philip K. Dick Award nominees are out, and we discuss why we're "halfway happy." Plus, we kick off I'm Starting to Worry About This Black Box of Doom and wrap up The Book That Wouldn't Burn.
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53min
December 19, 2025 S&L Podcast - #525 - The Beans That Wouldn't Burn
It’s all about the beans on this Sword and Laser. Chili, chowder, and more. We also find time to talk about books, specifically Mark Lawrence’s book that wouldn’t burn. But we don’t want to burn the beans either.
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48min
December 05, 2025 #524 - 4 Stars: Clean, Not Cozy!
The Floating Hotel was a great deal, and we really enjoyed it when we checked in. During our stay we met some really interesting folks, and the staff was fabulous. There was some murder, but in the end we were more concerned with the identity of the Lamplighter. And the cocktails were quite delicious. We enjoyed the continental breakfast, because it included so many continents.
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49min
November 21, 2025 #523 - Ship Happens
Should the Floating Hotel be called a “space cruise ship”? Why Veronica can't make change. Tom tries not to insult Stephen's intelligence. And hoorah for N. K. Jemisin!
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34min

FAQs about The Sword and Laser:

How many episodes does The Sword and Laser have?

The podcast currently has 405 episodes available.