Two Absolute Bookends

Download the Podcast Here This week your two bookends read chapter 3, 3.5 and 4 of the Eye of Argon by Jim Theis, where Grignr sits in the dark, considering how much less he eats when he does nothing, we get a completely unexplained cutaway to some pimpin shamen (sic) hanging about where we get a glimpse of the titular Eye of Argon, before going back to possibly the longest chapter so far, where Grignr fights with a rat, and nothing else of note occurs. However, to our delight this life or death tussle with a rodent does provide Grignr with his first workable escape plan. As ever, this description does no justice to the baffling prose employed by the dearly departed Theis. There’s nobody to support if you want to read the Eye Of Argon, but you can give an online copy a read here: https://www-users.cs.york.ac.uk/susan/sf/eyeargon/eyeargon.htm

Download the Podcast Here After a long Christmas break, your two bookends decide to mix things up to celebrate crossing the 1/3 hurdle of The Way The Stars Fall by reading a different short story, infamous in its awfulness – The Eye Of Argon by Jim Theis. A slight shake up also in that, due to both the shortness and the lack of copyright concerns, we have decided to read through the story in its entirety and makes comments as we go. To be honest, for the most part we just read the book while Peter tries to stop himself from fainting from laughter induced giddiness. It galls me to say that the Eye Of Argon is such an entity there isn’t too much your bookends can add that the book doesn’t say for itself. But my god is it funny. We only read the first two chapters here; we expect it will only take another 2 or 3 episodes to finish the rest. There’s nobody to support if you want to read the Eye Of Argon, but you can give an online copy a read here: https://www-users.cs.york.ac.uk/susan/sf/eyeargon/eyeargon.htm

Download the Podcast Here This week your bookends Peter and Louis yet again talk about a chapter only a few pages long for 50 minutes, wherein we discus Jack Hunter’s prisoner management skills, Tona Shrike with her sexy sexy head and skewed priorities when it comes to choosing between trousers and being able to fire her gun safely. In particular we realise that we have no idea what kind of a person Tona is supposed to be from her characterisation before being utterly dumfounded both by the laughably poor siege of the tranquillity by Evil!Fargas and the overwhelming OP-ness of the APAGs kinetic barriers. Support the author and buy the book we're reading at the link below: http://lewisstockton.com/publishing/

Download the Podcast Here This episode, the pair of absolute Bookends Peter and Louis read a short chapter they accuse of imbuing an attempted rape with comedy, seemingly unaware of the fact they are in fact themselves are making light of rape for comedy. It is pretty funny though, at least when Lewis is the one at the helm writing the rape scenario. Also, they speculate on just how capable Tona should be after an arn unconscious, a rifle butt to the head and being held aloft by the neck. I don’t think I’d be in a fit state to take on 4 men and win in this state, but I guess Tona is just that good. Support the author and buy the book we're reading at the link below: http://lewisstockton.com/publishing/

Download the Podcast Here This episode our hero Jack spends the chapter inside a prison cell, talking to himself, poking things with a fork, talking to terrorists Insurrectionists until getting saved by Hollister, the real hero of the story. As ever, your two bookends Louis and Peter are bemused and spend far too long talking about just how many versions of spelling the Illmarium Republic needs for their combat harnesses. Support the author and buy the book we're reading at the link below: http://lewisstockton.com/publishing/

Download the Podcast Here In this episode the plot actually moves forward and Louis and Peter spend a long time discussing just why Jack thought visiting the station personally was a good idea, just how quickly communications break down and Jack goes from coming in peace to threatening to blow up the space station and spend far too long analysing what it means about Jack that he gets into a slap fight with a 90 year old man with a metal ring hand. Also Chuckle Vision. Support the author and buy the book we're reading at the link below: http://lewisstockton.com/publishing/

Download the Podcast Here In this episode, Louis and Peter spend a long time wondering just what is even happening, in the sense of the science on display, the events, what the author was thinking when he made this plot and what they're doing with their lives. Not much of importance actually happens in this chapter, but dealing with the fallout of last chapter just raises so many issues, makes Louis so so confused and Peter so so furious. Support the author and buy the book we're reading at the link below: http://lewisstockton.com/publishing/

Download the Podcast Here In the longest episode yet, your two bookends discuss the terrible state the Tranquillity is in, Jack's bizarre ways of interacting with guests, the inherent problems of having a galaxy spanning empire without warp travel, the utility of portholes on a space ship and much more. Far, far too much more. The length of these are getting ridiculous. We also introduce what we plan to be a new regular segment - Chuckle Vision! Support the author and buy the book we're reading at the link below: http://lewisstockton.com/publishing/

Download the Podcast Here In the second episode, your pair of Bookends tell you about some real world book news regarding the Author, before heading into a chapter discussion that is, if anything, even more rambly and unstructured than the first episode. And somehow even longer, which is almost worrying seeing as we don't spend half of this episode just talking about the book in general like we did in the first episode. Support the author and buy the book we're reading at the link below: http://lewisstockton.com/publishing/

Download the Podcast Here In this flagship episode, your two absolute bookends Peter and Louis begin their look at the first entry into Lewis Stockton's Magnum Opus - The Way the Stars Fall, of which this is book, Rebirth, is 1 of a planned 3. This episode is likely longer than most, as we have to introduce ourselves, the podcast and cover some general points about the book and series as a whole to bring you all up to speed. This is also the first podcast either of us have made, so do forgive us any slight issues, technical or otherwise. Support the author and buy the book we're reading at the link below: http://lewisstockton.com/publishing/