We invited Andrew Heaton, Host of Alienating the Audience, to join us! Oh Dune… is there any wrong way to enjoy you? Possibly yes. We also wrap up How to Lose the Time War.

Download directly here!

WHAT ARE WE DRINKING?

Tom: Lagavulin 16

Veronica: Four Point KSA

Andrew: Vita Coco Coconut Water

QUICK BURNS

Jan - Vanity Fair has released a first look at Denis Villeneuve's (Arrival, Blade Runner 2049) movie adaptation of Frank Herbert's Dune with Timothée Chalamet (Little Women) as Paul Atreides.



In addition to some set photos the article reports that the novel will be split into two movies and of course focus on Paul's story, but will also expand the role of Paul's mother, Lady Jessica, played by Rebecca Ferguson (Mission: Impossible – Rogue Nation) and in general feature female characters more prominently.



The planned release date in the US is December 18, 2020

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Mark - You can now download the first act of Harrow the Ninth by Tamsyn Muir in your preferred ebook format



The article says that release day is 2 Jun 2020 contradicting earlier notices about a delay, so I dunno!



Edit: Amazon still says release day us 4 Aug 2020 which was the delayed date.



Another edit: Act One is Free



Yet another edit: if you're counting, this is the fourth edit since the original post. One edit didn't get an edit tag

—-

Jan - Tor.com has revealed the title of a new solar-punk novella series by Becky Chambers (The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet).



According to Tor "Monk & Robot" is about "Sibling Dex, a tea monk, who travels the land meeting villagers and townspeople. They tell Dex their woes while Dex brews them tea, custom-blended to their individual needs and personalities. But when Dex meets Mosscap one day, their life is turned upside-down. Mosscap is a robot (and everyone knows that robots are a myth from the dim and distant past, and never actually existed), and it wants to know “What does humanity need?” Cue: the most delightful road trip you could wish for!"



The first book "Psalm for the Wild-Built" will be published in May 2021.

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Mark - A new online SF anthology about people remotely exploring the world...



Avatars Inc edited by Ann VanderMeer



Includes short stories by James S.A. Corey, Ken Liu, Sarah Pinsker, Aliette de Bodard and others. You can read the stories online or download EPUB or PDF of the full anthology.



Authors can submit a short story for a chance to win a new iMac Pro and other gadgets.

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Conal - For those interested, Dennis E. Taylor announced the Audible release date for the new Bobiverse book today...



@Dennis_E_Taylor

The release date for Heaven's River on Audible has been set for September 24th. Stephen - There are two Virtual Cons coming up that might be of interest.

QuaranCon2020 April 24-28



MaydayCon May 16



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Jenny: I just saw a new book by Katherine Addison (Goblin Emperor!) is coming out in June and it sounds intriguing but entirely different from the world of her previous novel. I know many of us were hoping for more in that world and maybe that will still happen someday.



Copied from publisher blurb:



"Katherine Addison, author of The Goblin Emperor, returns with a fantasy novel of alternate 1880s London, where killers stalk the night and the ultimate power is naming.



This is not the story you think it is. These are not the characters you think they are. This is not the book you are expecting.



In an alternate 1880s London, angels inhabit every public building, and vampires and werewolves walk the streets with human beings under a well-regulated truce. A fantastic utopia, except for a few things: Angels can Fall, and that Fall is like a nuclear bomb in both the physical and metaphysical worlds. And human beings remain human, with all their kindness and greed and passions and murderous intent.



Jack the Ripper stalks the streets of this London too. But this London has an Angel. The Angel of the Crows."

BARE YOUR SWORD

Feedback from the audienceSteve Mary

@SteveMary23

This is How You Lose the Time War is a must-read! I'm not sure if it was a poetry book or sci-fi set in a dreamlike universe that words could barely grasp. Probably both. Thank you

@swordandlaser and thank you March Madness voters for this pick! Go for Hugo Awards!

Have you been reading more books in quarantine or less?

Only a bit of Dune

BOOK OF THE MONTH DISCUSSION

Next month pick: Magician: Apprentice by Raymond E. Feist

WRAP UP

This is How You Lose the Time War by Amal El-Mohtar and Max Gladstone

Did I win the Time War? Or did I lose it?

Red v Blue

This is Why I Love the Time War

ADDENDUMS

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You can also support the show by buying books through our links! Find links to the books we talk about and some of our favorites at swordandlaser.com/picks