Thumbing Through Yesterday

Forbidden Knowledge by Stephen R. Donaldson is the 2nd book in his Gap Cycle. We read the first for episode 9; now, we're undertaking the rest of the series. What happens to Morn now that she's escaped the clutches of Angus Thermopylae? How did Nick Succorso manage to get her away from Com-Mine station? What are the deeper threads that bind these characters? In book 2, we begin to get a gl...

Shogun by James Clavell is quite a read! This was Tony's pick, and a first-time read for Tom. It's a monster of a book, but completely fun and compelling! Set in Japan during the 1600s, James Blackwell, an English man piloting a Dutch ship finds himself involved in the intrigues and machinations of feudal Japan. TTYpodcast.com Thumbingthroughyesterday.com

Lin Carter's Under the Green Star is something Tom fell in love with when it was fresh off the presses in the early 70s, and which has been unavailable until recently. A "sword and planet" science fantasy, Green Star gets very different reactions from Tom and Tony! TTYpodcast.com Thumbingthroughyesterday.com

Demon concludes John Varley's Gaea trilogy, and what a conclusion it is! Giant snakes! Giant Marilyn Monroe! WAR!! Sirocco has been fired from her job as Wizard to become the Demon, and now she plans to overthrow Gaea. Can one truly kill a god? Let's find out! TTYpodcast.com Thumbingthroughyesterday.co m

Wizard is the 2nd book in John Varley's Gaea trilogy. We return to the ring 75 years after the events of Titan. Sirocco is an alcoholic. Gaby is on the outs with Gaea, who has begun accepting pilgrims from Earth. Will Tom's rewfound appreciation for this series continue? TTYpodcast.com Thumbingthroughyesterday.co m

Titan by John Varley is the beginning of a trilogy about Gaea, a sentient alien megastructure in orbit around Saturn, and the loves of the human crew who first discover her. Initially pooh-poohed by Tom, listen to how one of Tony's favorite books makes a new impression on him! TTYpodcast.com Thumbingthroughyesterday.com

The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay is a Pulitzer prize winning novel by Michael Chabon, whose writing is definitely worthy of the honor. We follow the lives of two cousins, thrown together in the days before WWII, as their passion and artistry make them a force to be reckoned with in the world of comic books. TTYpodcast.com Thumbingthroughyesterday.co m

Jhereg by Steven Brust is a favortie of Tony's and the springboard to a series which currently contains 15 novels. Part scifi, part fantasy, and all fun, this was a delightful first read for Tom.

The Mote in God's Eye by Larry Niven & Jerry Pournelle is a first-contact novel by two masters of scifi. There's a lot to appreciate when two such skilled authors collaborate! TTYpodcast.com Thumbingthroughyesterday.co m

Harry Harrison's The Stainless Steel Rat is an old favorite of Tony's, and a forgotten pleasure of Tom's as well. The adventures of "Slippery Jim" deGriz make for wonderfully fun reading! We were both glad to have revisited this old friend.

Thieves World is a shared-world anthology edited by Robert Lynn Asprin. This book is a collection of short stories by assorted authors, each exploring their own interpretations of the same world and same characters. Does it work? Join us to find out!

The Girl of the Sea of Cortez by Peter Benchley is a favorite of Tony's and a first-read for Tom. This is a wonderful adventure that manages to bring together threads about a young woman's coming of age, life in a broken family, and ecologically sound stewardship of the ocean. 

Jack London's White Fang has long been a favorite of Tom's, and a fondly-remembered story of Tony's as well. We revisit this childhood classic. Will it hold up? Have the years been kind or harsh to the story? What does White Fang have to say to us today? Tune in and find out!

Midnight at the Well of Souls by Jack Chalker holds a fond place in Tony's memories. A first read for Tom, this is one of those books that proves a book doesn't have to be good to be a favorite!

Marking the start of our second year, we return to Robert E. Henlein, a grand master of science fiction and favorite of us both. The Moon is a Harsh Mistress is Tom's pick this time. Join Mike, the first sentient AI, and his best friend Mann, as they discuss jokes, solve problems, start a revolution, and ultimately lead the lunar colonies to independence from Earth. TTYpodcast.com Thumbingthroughy...

It's been almost a year since we visited the works of Douglas Adams, and now we return with one of Tony's favorites: Dirk Gently's Holistic Detective Agency. Ghosts, aliens, time travel, mischevious professors, and a very patient horse are woven together as only Adams can. It's a comedy mystery scifi smorgasdbord! 

If you've only seen the movie, you have no idea how much of a treat awaits you in the book! The Princess Bride by William Goldman does tell the story of Buttercup, Westley, and all your favorite characters, but it also tells of the struggles that Goldman went through to translate S. Morgenstern's Classic Tale of True Love and High Adventure from the original Florinese. The meta framework is possib...

Hearts in Atlantis is a Stephen King novella lifted from the midst of a collection by the same name. Set in the era of the Vietnam war, this very un-King-like story follows a group of college freshmen who risk their grades, enrollment, and even the draft in pursuit of a hearts tournament run amok. https://anchor.fm/thumbingthroughyesterd ay

I Am Legend is a fantasticly fun read about the sole human survivor in a world overrun by vampires. Sort of. A longtime favorite of Tom's, and much appreciated by Tony, listen as we explore the life and evolution of Robert Neville, the last human on Earth. https://anchor.fm/thumbingthroughyesterday

Confess, Fletch is the 2nd in Gregory McDonald's series of comic mysteries. Fletch finds himself accused of a murder he didn't commit, which seriously inconveniences his actual investigation. There are several interlocking mysteries here, and some amazing dialogue between Fletch and Reluctant FLynn, the police detective pursuing both Fletch and the truth. A first time for Tom and a favorite for To...

A Scanner Darkly is arguably Phillip K Dick's best-know novel, and certainly is one of his finest. This has been a favorite of Tom's for decades. Its exploration of the drug culture and the nature of identity, set in a near-future dystopia where shopping malls have armed guards, resonate's with Tom's love of broken characters.

Tony's choice, Passage by Connie Willis, is Tom's introduction to this amazing author, one of the Grand Masters of science fiction. Listen to our responses to this story about near-death experiences. https://anchor.fm/thumbingthroughyesterd ay

The Madness Season is one of the few stand-alone novels by by C.S.Friedman, one of Tom's favorite authors. Both the novel and the author are firsts for Tony; listen to see how he reacts! https://anchor.fm/thumbingthroughyesterday

A Clockwork Orange by Anthony Burgess may be one of the most disturbing dystopian visions ever penned. See how Tom & Tony react to revisiting Alex and his droogs.

Big Brother is watching. And listening. George Orwells's 1984 is a powerful book with some big ideas, and one that Tom keeps revisiting. Enjoy our doubleplusgood review of this iconic novel.