Conor Lastowka and Michael J. Nelson are reading books they're pretty sure they're going to hate. Read along with us for a podcast book clubs of Ready Player One, Armada, The Eye of Argon, Dan Brown, and more!
Support the podcast on Patreon! Because of you, Mike watched Forrest Gump for the first time this week!
There is nothing that could prepare you for the, ahem, choices Mr. Weir makes in these chapters so may as well dig in.
Though we will say Mike slightly improves his fortunes in Real or Fanfic.
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ASSIGNMENT: Read through chapter 10
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Thanks to everyone who supports the podcast on patreon!
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What if Garrett P. Serviss dictated a story to Ernest Cline? We think it would go a little something… like this. Plus a Dark Web appearance by a 372 favorite author and an extremely challenging Real or Fanfic!
NEXT ASSIGNMENT: Read through chapter 6.
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Alright, NOW it’s time for Book 24! This one did very well in our Patreon poll a few years ago, so we’re excited to finally tackle it. But first, Mike listens patiently while Conor rants about Goombas or something.
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Assignment: Read thru Chapter 3
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WOW! Really no words to describe the insane events in the final chapters of Edison’s Conquest of Mars, but we can attempt to sum it up with one syllable; Tom.
No Real or Fanfic here but as a bonus you’ll get Conor’s reimagining of this stone classic: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LXmShIyjJvg
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Martians, space battles, disintegrators, heat rays, murdered crows — the only thing missing from this story? Colonel Alonzo Jefferson Smith! Sylphan harp players! Compressed food, stolen and eaten with great care!
Also, Mike does pretty well at Real or FanFic, heh heh…
READING ASSIGNMENT finish the book!
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Or download the free ebook here
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Support the Podcast on Patreon to get every episode a week early and hear fun stuff like our pitches for Groundhog Day themed Cozy Mysteries!
Come for the Thrilling Story of an Encounter that Nearly Ended the Great Expedition. Stay for Mike’s Thrilling Performance in Real or Fanfic.
If you love the character of Tom. If you can’t get enough of Sylvanus P. Thompson. If Lord Kelvin makes you giggle with delight, you will love this episode.
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Assignment: For next time read up to “A Tedious Language Lesson” in Chapter 13
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Our first reading of Garrett P. Serviss’ Edison’s Conquest of Mars is a real cracker jack, a tip-top lally-cooler!
Truly, an enjoyable book if for nothing more than the action movie quipping of Professor Sylvanus P. Thompson.
All the departments are here, as well as a description of Mike’s brother-in-law’s actual Edison cylinder mechanism! (Possible Patreon extra demonstration of it to come.)
Buy the book here or read for free online.
Reading assignment: Read up until “The Prisoner Teaches” in chapter 9
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Shake off your weighted blanket and put down that spoon you’re licking yogurt off the back of. It’s no longer cozy season, dammit! It’s time for Book 23 and we’ve got a listener recommendation that promises to be absolutely as uncozy as Christmas River was cozy. In fact, we’re not even certain Coziness had been invented when this book came out!
Here is gallery of images we discuss in this episode
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First assignment: Read thru Chapter 5
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Support the podcast on Patreon where you’ll get every episode a week early and hear our recaps of the two other cozy Christmas mysteries we read this December!
Our final reading Murder in Christmas River answers the deep, impenetrable puzzle at the heart of the book: How many people will show up to a cheesy tourist village the night after a massive three-foot snowstorm to view the judging of a gingerbread house competition? Turns out, a lot. Like, shoulder to shoulder to the point that the oddly bearded sheriff has almost no room to commit his wrongful arrests.
Will our hero Cinnamon Peters be convicted of a murder or will she simply bake more of those things we all talk about on a daily basis, those things that have no other name, cookie panels?
Conor and Mike wrap it up with all the departments sans Real or Fanfic of course, but as always, thank you to everyone and special thanks to Patreon supporters! Happy Holidays and many meat pies to all!
As discussed in the email section here is:
1. A horse doing its Sheriff Trumbow impression
2. Muldoon’s youtube channel
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After 16 chapters we finally get a mystery! Who killed the fancy-dressing Gingerbread House judge who flew into town from Arizona? Sure, it’s a cliché as old as “The butler did it”, but we’re about to find out how they do things in Christmas River!
And the answer is apparently booze, and lots of it. Everyone in this book, from the rugged ex-cop to the adorkable pie baker, is just plastered all the time. During the brief moments of sobriety, will Cinnamon pull it together in time to solve the mystery? She will not, frankly, despite being named the primary suspect, she doesn’t even really seem to care. She’s too busy pining over teenage crushes and cattily insulting her former co-worker. AND WE ARE HERE FOR IT!
Loads of Christmas cheer (dogs with indigestion, meth, and potentially despondent tourists stepping in front of buses.) Plus a very tricky Real or Fanfic and video of drunk Ed McMahon, who would fit in quite well in Christmas River.
Assignment: Finish the damn book!
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