Rephonic
Artwork for The Sword and Laser
Science Fiction
Science Fiction and Fantasy
Interview With the Vampire
Hugo Awards
Cursed Bunny
Fantasy
The Book That Wouldn't Burn
She Who Became the Sun
Some Desperate Glory
March Madness
Dungeon Crawler Carl
Goodreads
Brandon Sanderson
Slow Gods
Pumpkin Spice
The Spear Cuts Through Water
Books
Murderbot
Fantasy Literature
Emily Wilde's Encyclopaedia Of Faeries

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 the genre fiction world!

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

PublishesTwice monthlyEpisodes399Founded18 years ago
Number of ListenersCategories
ArtsBooks

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Artwork for The Sword and Laser

Latest Episodes

We check in on our June reading of Red Rising by Pierce Brown. Why do romantasy people like this? Veronica is making a tincture. And we have fun coming up with a Sci-Fi/Fantasy equivalent of the EGOT.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more... more

Tom and Veronica remember when they read a book. It was called Slow Gods by Claire North. And they're definitely not just reading the latest Dungeon Crawler Carl book instead of that one or the next one, Red Rising.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/p... more

Jan has taken over the show and is exhibiting the personality of the AI from Dungeon Crawler Carl. Veronica hates awards. Tom puts the butt before the horse in deference to Veronica's theory of good things happening. And we don't wrap up Slow Gods, b... more

The Hugo voting is open! The Guild is coming back! Is "best and most popular" actually fair? Is it right to defy a dead author's wishes? Tom risks Octavia Butler's ghost to explain. Plus, we share our opening thoughts on Slow Gods by Claire North.

H... more

Key Facts

Accepts Guests
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Recent Guests

Wesley Chu
Author of The Lives of Tao, a notable figure in the science fiction genre.
Episode: #514 - The Rebirths of Wesley Chu

Hosts

Veronica Belmont
Veronica Belmont is a long-running host known for insightful discussion, background in tech media, and a collaborative rapport with co-hosts.
Tom Merritt
Tom Merritt is a seasoned host with a background in tech media and a collaborative style that pairs well with a strong, ongoing conversation.

Reviews

4.8 out of 5 stars from 649 ratings
  • Happy Monday’s

    Do you want to have a happy drive to work on a Monday? Listen to this show! Veronica and Tom are my people. Great book picks to fill your TBR list.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    cragslayer
    United Statesa year ago
  • What all book clubs aspire to be

    Just love this show with Tom and Veronica! However it is sort of a good news-bad news deal. The bad news is your other book club is not nearly as cool and S

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    El Digit
    United Statesa year ago
  • Veronica and Tom are still the best

    Heard since Tekzilla and BuzzOutLoud these guys are the best - even when V works for evil empires like Adobe (formerly freeware PS 0.99) and EA (digesters of creative sources).

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    helloworldsnafu
    Germanya year ago
  • *in a 60s swing style

    There's a place you can go where the cool kids know

    The best in sword and sorcery can be found

    It’s easy to see it’s the place to be

    If you want to get your rocketship off the ground

    There’s hobbits, goblins, and dragons galore

    Time travel, aliens, robots, and more

    So pick up a book and you’ll get hooked

    There’s something for everyone

    Now maybe your tastes run to dystopian wastes

    Or alternate histories where dogs rule the world

    Perhaps you fancy some necromancy

    Who do the voodoo? Well, you do,... more

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Usernamewastaken137
    Canada3 years ago
  • Binge listen to travel back in time! Great podcasts, with awesome hosts!

    I’ve been binge listening to all the S&L episodes throughout the pandemic and have finally caught up! It was great fun listening to Tom and Veronica chat about books and sci-fi/fantasy news. Listening to them was therapy during the pandemic, with each episode like a time capsule - made me so nostalgic! Discovered plenty of books and new authors, too!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    keto-newbie
    Canada4 years ago

Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

Listeners praise the hosts' chemistry and welcoming tone, calling it a go-to for book discussions.
Community engagement and reader interactions are frequently highlighted as a strength.
Episodes are seen as timely, with strong analysis of SF/F trends and author interviews.

Chart Rankings

How this podcast ranks in the Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube charts.

Apple Podcasts
#193
Singapore/Arts/Books

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

#524 - 4 Stars: Clean, Not Cozy!
Q: So what are you like, Delma?
Just talking about different cocktail options for a floating hotel with various dishes.
#524 - 4 Stars: Clean, Not Cozy!
Q: Have you watched Pluribus?
No, it's on my list.
#514 - The Rebirths of Wesley Chu
Q: How does Mr. Chu look back on The Lives of Tao since it was his debut? Is it remembered fondly or has he progressed enough as an author that it makes him cringe?
Chu reflects that although he has progressed as a writer and finds some aspects cringey, he fondly remembers it as it reflects a significant part of his journey.

Audience Metrics

Listeners, social reach, demographics and more for this podcast.

Listeners per Episode
Gender Skew
Location
Interests
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Household Income
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Frequently Asked Questions About The Sword and Laser

What is The Sword and Laser about and what kind of topics does it cover?

A long-running, book-club–style show that blends speculative fiction discussion with news, author interviews, and community feedback. Episodes commonly cover new releases, genre trends, reader comments, and debates about representation, publishing ethics, and the broader world of science fiction and fantasy. A standout aspect is the duo's warmth and banter, which keeps conversations accessible even when tackling complex topics; the show also actively promotes reader communities, live events, and ongoing patron-supported content. Potential listeners can expect thoughtful book analysis, timely genre news, and a welcoming, club-like atmosphere that emphasizes community and discoverability.

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How many listeners does The Sword and Laser get?

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How many subscribers and views does The Sword and Laser have?

To see how many followers or subscribers The Sword and Laser has on Spotify and other platforms such as Castbox and Podcast Addict, simply upgrade your account. You'll also find viewership figures for their YouTube channel if they have one.

Which podcasts are similar to The Sword and Laser?

These podcasts share a similar audience with The Sword and Laser:

1. Film Sack
2. Imaginary Worlds
3. Daily Tech News Show
4. Good Job, Brain!
5. Blank Check with Griffin & David

How many episodes of The Sword and Laser are there?

The Sword and Laser launched 18 years ago and published 399 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

How do I contact The Sword and Laser?

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Where can I see ratings and reviews for The Sword and Laser?

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What guests have appeared on The Sword and Laser?

Recent guests on The Sword and Laser include:

1. Wesley Chu

To view more recent guests and their details, simply upgrade your Rephonic account. You'll also get access to a typical guest profile to help you decide if the show is worth pitching.

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