Speculative fiction has long been the perfect place to debate - via written word or screen - the dynamics of power and the appropriation of the same. One of the most commonly used metaphors is magic. And one of the most commonly used situations, especially in YA pec fic, is a radical overhaul of the status quo in which a group of 'others' are oppressed and then rise to challenge the system. The dragons love a good revolution as much as the next fantasy fans but there are times when you have to ask yourself what exactly is the story saying? Because magic equals power, and if the oppressed group have power then why are they oppressed? Could it be that unconsciously the love of a good resistance style plot occasionally means that authors punch down instead of up? SFF authors Jules and Madeleine take a look at where this works and where it clearly doesn't. Under the microscope this week - The Black Magician Series - Trudi Canavan, Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, Red Queen Series - Victoria Aveyard, Gilded Cage - Vic James and many more.
Title Music: Ecstasy by Smiling Cynic
Episode 263: The Blade Itself - the Genesis of the Sword in History, Mythology and Speculative Fiction
Episode 262: Of Liking and Loathing - How to Hook Readers on your Characters
Episode 261: Reading the Classics - Hidden Meaning and Censorship in Stoker, Bronte and Shelley
Episode 260: Links and Linguistics - Why Word Choice Matters in Writing
Episode 259: Taking a Toxicity Reading - Criticism and Compromise in Speculative Fiction
Episode 258: Frills and Flirtations - What Clothing brings to Speculative Fiction
Episode 257: Peacekeepers to Punishers - The Police Force in Speculative Fiction
Episode 256: Assembling the Skeleton - Showing, Telling and Cutting Out Scenes in Speculative Fiction
Episode 255: The Trials and Triumphs of 2020
Episode 254: Blood on the Snow - The Darker Christmas Stories
Episode 253: The Good Neighbours - Festive Faeries and Winter Elves
Episode 252: Why is There Never a Happy Ending? - and Other Questions Writers Get Asked
Episode 251 To Queer or not to Queer - Including LGBTQ+ Characters in Speculative Fiction
Episode 250: The Usual Suspects - Cast Calling for your Novel
Episode 249 - The Goddess' Chariot - Myths and Folktales of the Moon
Episode 248: All the Feels - Emotion and Characterisation in Speculative Fiction
Episode 247: Sweet, Awkward and Tongue-tied - The Unromantic Hero in Speculative Fiction
Episode 246 - Casting Long Shadows - How Horror Influences Other Genres
Episode 245: Old Gods & Ancient Stones - What Folk Horror has to say to a Modern Audience
Ep 244 - Of Fates and Phantoms - The Anatomy of the Ghost Story
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