The Sword and Laser, hosted by Tom Merritt and Veronica Belmont, is a book club podcast covering science fiction and fantasy, with author interviews, new releases and genre news. The show has 407 episodes and publishes roughly every 14 days, with a median episode length of about 44 minutes. Estimated downloads per episode are 5,000 to 25,000, implying a rate of $90 to $625 per episode.
A long-running science fiction and fantasy book club with a loyal reading audience
- 407 episodes since 2013 give a deep, established back catalogue of genre listeners.
- Apple Podcasts shows 414 ratings averaging 4.8 stars, a strong sign of engaged listeners.
- Episodes run about 44 minutes, giving sponsors room for a full host-read segment.
Brand fit report
Content
- Formats
- co-hosted discussion, author interview, book wrap-up
- Tone
- conversational, enthusiastic
- Language
- English
- Production
- Clean, edited audio
- Typical length
- 35 to 55 minutes
Audience
Commercial
- Brands seen
- None yet
- Categories promoted
- None yet
- Affiliate links
- No
No sponsor mentions found in the feed; the feed lists no funding links and the description names no sponsors.
Suitability GARM Brand Safety Floor + Suitability
Family friendly
Episode titles are book-club discussion and wordplay with no explicit flags; the feed is not marked explicit.
We classify content, never people. No age, gender, ethnicity, religion or political views are inferred about the creator. Audience figures are estimates unless marked verified. Creators can correct anything on their profile.
Where to listen
| Platform | Link |
|---|---|
| Website | www.swordandlaser.com |
| Apple Podcasts | podcasts.apple.com/podcast/id274083853 |
| RSS feed | feeds.feedburner.com/TheSwordAndLaser |
Benchmark score: 74 / 100
Public rule, same for everyone. How it works.
Recent episodes
| Episode | Date | Length |
|---|---|---|
| #542B - Luminous Wrap-Up | 2026-10-08 | 29 min |
| #542 - It's a Guy-Fi Thing | 2026-10-01 | 33 min |
| #541B - This Kingdom Will Not Kill Me by Ilona Andrews Wrap Up | 2026-09-11 | 26 min |
| #541A - Bot Stuff | 2026-09-05 | 38 min |
| #540 - A Court of Coif and Sushi | 2026-08-22 | 56 min |
| #539 - Floss, Floss, Floss! | 2026-08-06 | 37 min |
Last six episodes from the show's feed, latest 11 days ago, a new one about every 14 days.
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.
About The Sword and Laser
The Sword and Laser is a book club podcast covering science fiction and fantasy, hosted by Tom Merritt and Veronica Belmont according to the feed and the show's website. Episodes combine discussion of a featured book, author interviews, new release coverage and genre news. The show has published 407 episodes since December 2013, with a current cadence of about every 14 days and a median length of roughly 44 minutes.
Apple Podcasts lists 414 ratings with an average of 4.8 stars, and the show is categorised under Books, Podcasts and Arts. Based on these signals, listener numbers are estimated rather than published: roughly 5,000 to 25,000 downloads per episode. The audience is likely made up of adult readers of genre fiction, mostly in the United States, though this is an estimate. The feed shows no sponsors.
Estimated rates are $90 to $625 per host-read mid-roll ad, based on the estimated download range. This suits book publishers, audiobook and e-reader services, and genre merchandise brands seeking an engaged reading audience.
Written from the show's public RSS feed, its Podcast Index listing and episode titles. Numbers updated 2026-10-19. The Sword and Laser can edit or remove this page at any time.
Questions about The Sword and Laser
How much does The Sword and Laser charge for a podcast sponsorship?
Based on estimated downloads of 5,000 to 25,000 per episode, a host-read mid-roll ad is estimated at roughly $90 to $625. Rates are estimates derived from listener signals, not a published price card.
What is The Sword and Laser about?
The Sword and Laser is a book club podcast covering science fiction and fantasy. Each episode discusses a featured book, with author interviews, new releases and genre news.
How do I contact The Sword and Laser about sponsoring an episode?
The show's contact email unlocks on Starbooked for $0.80. Boosted shows can also be booked through Starbooked.
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