After a week's delay for turkey consumption, we are back on the TR Podcast with a short and sweet show. Things kick off with two listener mail questions, after which we move right on to an exciting and imaginative new novel written by our own Cyril Kowaliski. The team discusses Cyril's inspiration for the story, potential advances in biomedical research, how we techies view the future, and a lot more. You can get your own e-copy of the book for just $2.99 on Amazon—and TR gets a cut of the proceeds.

Then, Geoff's new favorite indie game—a side-scrolling ninja extravaganza—goes under the microscope. That prompts a discussion of stealth versus slaughter in modern action games like the new Hitman: Absolution. Scott is up next with his review of the intriguing Intel NUC, and finally, Geoff lays out two brand new SSDs that have passed through his benchmarking gauntlet.