The Sword and Laser (S&L) is a science fiction and fantasy-themed book club and podcast, started by Veronica Belmont and Tom Merritt. The main goal of the club is to build a strong online community of sci-fi / fantasy buffs, and to discuss and enjoy books of both genres. — About S&L [www.swordandlaser.com]

The following is the list of books read by The Sword and Laser book club during 2012. This page is designed as is a quick reference page so that I can quickly jump between the forum pages and good read listings.

03.) Empire State (2012-Jan-16)
Adam Christopher – Empire State is a Sword & Laser read for Jan 2012
The stunning superhero-noir fantasy thriller set in the other New York.
It was the last great science hero fight, but the energy blast ripped a hole in reality, and birthed the Empire State – a young, twisted parallel prohibition-era New York.
When the rift starts to close, both worlds are threatened, and both must fight for the right to exist.
Adam Christopher’s stunning debut novel heralds the arrival of an amazing new talent.
(Media: to be obtained)

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02.) Rule 34 (Halting State #2) (2012-Jan-07)
Charles Stross – Rule 34 is a Sword & Laser read for Jan 2012
DI Liz Kavanaugh: You realise policing internet porn is your life and your career went down the pan five years ago. But when a fetishist dies on your watch, the Rule 34 Squad moves from low priority to worryingly high profile. Anwar: As an ex-con, you’d like to think your identity fraud days are over. Especially as you’ve landed a legit job (through a shady mate). Although now that you’re Consul for a shiny new Eastern European Republic, you’ve no idea what comes next. The Toymaker: Your meds are wearing off and people are stalking you through Edinburgh’s undergrowth. But that’s ok, because as a distraction, you’re project manager of a sophisticated criminal operation. But who’s killing off potential recruits? So how do bizarre domestic fatalities, dodgy downloads and a European spamming network fit together? The more DI Kavanaugh learns, the less she wants to find out.
(Media: to be obtained)

* S&L Podcast – #87 – Kick-off Rule 34 by Charles Stross

01.) 1Q84 (2012-Jan-07)
Haruki Murakami – 1Q84 is a Sword & Laser read for Jan 2012
The year is 1984 and the city is Tokyo.
A young woman named Aomame follows a taxi driver’s enigmatic suggestion and begins to notice puzzling discrepancies in the world around her. She has entered, she realizes, a parallel existence, which she calls 1Q84 —“Q is for ‘question mark.’ A world that bears a question.” Meanwhile, an aspiring writer named Tengo takes on a suspect ghostwriting project. He becomes so wrapped up with the work and its unusual author that, soon, his previously placid life begins to come unraveled.
As Aomame’s and Tengo’s narratives converge over the course of this single year, we learn of the profound and tangled connections that bind them ever closer: a beautiful, dyslexic teenage girl with a unique vision; a mysterious religious cult that instigated a shoot-out with the metropolitan police; a reclusive, wealthy dowager who runs a shelter for abused women; a hideously ugly private investigator; a mild-mannered yet ruthlessly efficient bodyguard; and a peculiarly insistent television-fee collector.
A love story, a mystery, a fantasy, a novel of self-discovery, a dystopia to rival George Orwell’s—1Q84 is Haruki Murakami’s most ambitious undertaking yet: an instant best seller in his native Japan, and a tremendous feat of imagination from one of our most revered contemporary writers.
(Media: eBook, audio book)

*

In brief:

* I’m Not Lovin’ It: McDonald’s Twitter campaign backfires (2012-Jan-25) [The Age]
A social media campaign to share stories about McDonald’s failed spectacularly yesterday when Twitter users hijacked the hashtag #McDstories to talk about eggshells in their McMuffins and fingernails in their burgers.

* I Spy Your Company’s Boardroom (2012-Jan-23) [Wired: Threat Level]
HD Moore and Mike Tuchen of Rapid7 discovered that they could remotely infiltrate conference rooms in some of the top venture capital and law firms across the country, as well as pharmaceutical and oil companies and even the boardroom of Goldman Sachs — all by simply calling in to unsecured videoconferencing systems that they found by doing a scan of the internet.

* How Apple is sabotaging an open standard for digital books (2012-Jan-22) [ZDNet]
Apple has built its iBooks platform on the back of an open standard. With last week’s introduction of iBooks 2.0 and the free iBooks Author software for Mac OS X, Apple is deliberately locking out that popular open standard.

* 2012 Subaru Cycling Australia Track National Championships
Thursday 26 to Sunday 29 January 2012 : Super-Drome, Adelaide, SA

Subaru Cycling Show
* Subaru Cycling Show – January 22 (Part 1) (2012-Jan-22) [SEN 1116]
* Subaru Cycling Show – January 22 (Part 2)
Phil Wrochna is joined by Scott McGrory on the Subaru Cycling Show talking everything in the world of cycling.

Some reading/listening:

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[1] Chinese New Year Festival 2012 (in Melbourne) [Only Melbourne]
[2] Melbourne Chinese New Year Celebrations [That's Melbourne]
[3] Melbourne Chinese New Year 2012

The Jane Austen Argument are an Australian musical duo from Melbourne, Victoria. Formed in 2010 by Tom Dickins, (vocals, piano, ukulele) and Jen Kingwell (piano, vocals, ukulele), the band consider themselves an “indie cabaret duo with overtones of anti-folk and punk love”. The duo have had a great amount of support by friend and fellow artist Amanda Palmer, and have supported her on her Goes Down Under Tour of 2011 as well as featured on her compilation record of the same name. Their debut album Somewhere Under The Rainbow comes out in 2012.
– wikipedia

And now for some music …

Jane Austen Argument – Under the Rainbow

The Jane Austen Argument – Tiger Airways

The Jane Austen Argument – Ready to Heal

Cycling Central
* Podcast: Tour Down Under preview
* Podcast: Tour Down Under Stage 2
* Podcast: Tour Down Under Stage 3
* Podcast: Tour Down Under Stage 4
* Podcast: Tour Down Under Stage 5
* Podcast: Tour Down Under Stage 6
Mike Tomalaris, Anthony Tan and Philip Gomes wrap up the Santos Tour Down Under.

Subaru Cycling Show
* Subaru Cycling Show – January 15 (Part 1) (2012-Jan-15) [SEN 1116]
* Subaru Cycling Show – January 15 (Part 2)
* Subaru Cycling Show (Part 3)
Phil Wrochna is joined by Scott McGrory on the Subaru Cycling Show talking all things on two wheels.

Some reading/listening:

* Subspace Survivors by E. E. Smith [librivox]
A team of space travelers are caught in a subspace accident which, up to now, no one has ever survived. But some of the survivors of the Procyon are not ordinary travelers. Their psi abilities allow them to see things before they happen. But will it be enough?
Smith’s story “Subspace Survivors” first appeared in the July 1960 issue of the magazine Astounding.

♬ Feel the rush as colours blur,
Feel the rush and hear the purr of wheels in motion
wheels in motion
Feel the rush as pedals whir,
feel the rush as colours blur and wheels in motion
wheels in motion ♬
– Feel The Rush! (TDU Theme Song)

Stage Details:

Stage P: Sun Jan 15, Down Under Classic – Adelaide East End (51 km)
Stage 1: Tue Jan 17, – Prospect → Clare (149 km)
Stage 2: Wed Jan 18, Coleman Group – Lobethal → Stirling (148 km)
Stage 3: Thu Jan 19, Unley → Victor Harbor (135 km)
Stage 4: Fri Jan 20, BUPA – Norwood → Tanunda (130 km)
Stage 5: Sat Jan 21, JAYCO – McLaren Vale → Old Willunga Hill (152 km)
Stage 6: Sun Jan 22, Adelaide City Council Street Circuit (90 km)

Links:

[1] Tour Down Under (Mobile Site)
[2] Tour Down Under 2012 [SBS Cycling Central]
[3] Tour Down Under 2012 Live Dashboard [SteepHill]
[4] Tour Down Under 2012 [The Advertiser]

… today we are releasing seven security bulletins, one of which is rated Critical in severity, with the remaining six classified as Important.
These bulletins will address eight vulnerabilities in Microsoft products. Customers should plan to install all of these updates as soon as possible.[1]

PATCH NOW:
MS12-004

Jason Webley is an American musician known for his fusion of folk, experimental and alternative music. He began as a busker, playing accordion in the streets of Seattle, Washington, but has since moved in-doors and on stage, playing various venues. – wikipedia

And now for some music …

Jason Webley – Dance While The Sky Crashes Down

Jason Webley & Professor Science – The Mitten Opera

Jason Webley & Amanda Palmer – Elephant

* The Trailwalker (PDF) (2011-Dec-19) [Friends of Heysen Trail]

* S&L Podcast – #87 – Kick-off Rule 34 by Charles Stross (2012-Jan-06) [Sword & Laser]

* Random musings from around the web [http://kinshasha.net/wp/]

Some reading/listening:

* George R. R. Martin posts excerpt from Winds of Winter
Excerpt from THE WINDS OF WINTER by George R. R. Martin.

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