Dissecting Dragons

Dissecting Dragons: Episode 163: Into the Woods - Mythical, Magical and Malicious Forests in Speculative Fiction

Episode 163: Into the Woods - Mythical, Magical and Malicious Forests in Speculative Fiction

 

Woods and forests are almost ubiquitous in fantasy novels, especially High Fantasy or Epic Fantasy. The forest as a conscious entity is an archetype in its own right, especially in Western type settings - understandably so since much of Europe and the UK was once forest. So where does this fascination with the forest come from in the modern day? How has it filtered its way into modern speculative fiction? This week the dragons go into the woods to find out. Under the microscope this week - Daughter of the Forest by Juliet Marillier, Hexwood by Diana Wynne Jones, Lord of the Rings by J R R Tolkien, Once Upon a Time and many more.

 

Title Music: Ecstasy by Smiling Cynic

Dissecting Dragons: Episode 162: Bring Out Your Dead - Sickness and Pandemics in Speculative Fiction

Episode 162: Bring Out Your Dead - Sickness and Pandemics in Speculative Fiction

 

Sweeping pandemics turn up often in fantasy and sci-fi, whether they form part of the back drop or the main thrust of the plot. There is something about a plague that captures the imagination and short cuts our survival circuits in a way that other natural disasters - Earthquakes, Tsunamis, Volcanic eruptions - just doesn't touch. So what is it about a good pandemic that grips us? From post apocalyptic fiction discussing the dual nature of morality, such as Stephen King's The Stand or Kirkman, Moore and Adlard's The Walking Dead, to epic fantasy looking at the creation of anti heroes, such as Scott Lynch's Gentleman Bastard series or Give the Dark My Love by Beth Revis, a deadly plague hits our deepest fears where other acts of god just don't reach. This week the dragons take a tour through pandemics in speculative fiction, starting with the history and epidemiology of The Black Death and The Great Plague in Europe, following the scars that exist on our racial memories even today and following the trail to its conclusion in SFF. A wild ride and not for the squeamish!

 

Title music: Ecstasy by Smiling Cynic

 

Dissecting Dragons: Episode 161: That's not Historically Accurate - the Fallacy of Fantasy Fiction

Episode 161: That's not Historically Accurate - the Fallacy of Fantasy Fiction

 

Fantasy writers - especially those who write high or epic fantasy - often draw from history in both events and setting. There are lots of good reasons for doing this, not the least of which is achieving a willing suspension of disbelief in the reader by presenting them with something vaguely familiar without bombarding them with world building info. However, this can be a double edged sword in terms of breaking new ground when delivering fantasy novels. How many times have authors of fantasy been hit with the protest 'but that's not historically accurate?' Certainly Jules and Madeleine have both had it levelled at them! In this episode, the dragons look at why that protest is not only of very limited value when applied to fantasy, it's also full of unintentional sophistry. Drawing on popular examples such as Game of Thrones, Jules and Madeleine deconstruct just why it's unhelpful to expect historical accuracy from fantasy fiction. Join us for a lively discussion.

 

Title Music: Ecstasy by Smiling Cynic

Dissecting Dragons: Episode 160: The Kids are Alright - Why do we need a NA Genre as well as YA?

Episode 160: The Kids are Alright - Why do we need a NA Genre as well as YA?

 

New Adult is a relatively new umbrella genre and so far it hasn't launched well. In fairness, Young Adult, another umbrella genre, is still new in book terms and still in a growth phase. So do we even need NA? The dragons delve into the issue this week, explaining the reasoning behind their opinion, looking at exactly what YA and NA are. Using current examples that have been miscategorised such as S.J.Maas' A Court of Thorns and Roses, and examining what went wrong with the development of NA as a category, Jules and Madeleine get to grips with the difference between genre for marketing and genre for the purpose of allowing readers to make informed choices. Join us for a lively discussion.

 

Title Music: Ecstasy by Smiling Cynic

Dissecting Dragons: Episode 159: I See Dead People - Psychics, Mediums and Communing with the Dead

Episode 159: I See Dead People - Psychics, Mediums and Communing with the Dead

 

The Dragons were startled to realise that despite brushing against the topic in previous episodes, that they had never devoted an episode to psychic characters - specifically psychic characters who commune with the dead. So naturally they set out to rectify this. In the past, Jules and Madeleine have talked about how ghost stories and Gothic fiction allow you to confront fear, especially the fear of dying, in a safe and comfortable setting. Looking at those stories from a different perspective, what do characters with one foot in either realm have to offer us beyond entertainment? Why is there an endless fascination in urban fantasy and Gothic fiction, for characters who do cross that divide between life and death? And how do write such characters well? Find out in this week's episode. On the slab - The Umbrella Academy, The Whitby Witches by Robin Jarvis, The Sixth Sense, and many more. (The dragons also discuss their own work.)

 

Title music: Ecstasy by Smiling Cynic

Dissecting Dragons: Episode 158: Dominion, Mastery and Emancipation - Portrayals of Slavery in Speculative Fiction

Episode 158: Dominion, Mastery and Emancipation - Portrayals of Slavery in Speculative Fiction

 

Science Fiction and Fantasy have long been areas of literature where difficult topics have been explored - rightly or wrongly - with relative candour. Events in the bookish community have led Jules and Madeleine to look at an oft used issue in sff - slavery. Taking a look at the etymology of the word and the origins this suggests, and following it with a very brief look at slavery in history, the dragons then delve into why we need various portrayals of it in speculative fiction. How is it done well? How is it done less well? And why is it important to consider many perspectives? Under examination this week - The Roman Mysteries by Caroline Lawrence, Tricker's Choice by Tamora Pierce, Thor Ragnorok and many more.

 

 

(The dragons fully acknowledge that this week's topic is a sensitive one and have accordingly done their best to both thoroughly discuss the issues surrounding portrayals of slavery in speculative fiction, and deliver that discussion in a way that is both informative and inoffensive. But we are both human and both white, so there may be issues outside our realm of experience or other items we have not done justice to. As always, we are open to being wrong and encourage our listeners to contact us should they wish to do so.)

 

Title music: Ecstasy by Smiling Cynic

Dissecting Dragons: Episode 157: Chosen Ones and Fated Champions - the Phenomenon of the Special Snowflake in Speculative Fiction

Episode 157: Chosen Ones and Fated Champions - the Phenomenon of the Special Snowflake in Speculative Fiction

 

One of the most reviled tropes in speculative fiction - at least recently - is that of the 'chosen one'. A single character who is handed a destiny often with special powers built in. This is especially the case in YA fantasy and sci-fi - which, incidentally is where a lot of sneering at this trope comes from. The dragons maintain, however, that 'the chosen one' is not a bad trope in and of itself. While it can certainly be handled badly, done correctly it forms the backbone of a fantasy tradition that pre-dates the novel and can be traced back thousands of years. This week Jules and Madeleine delve into the history of this trope and how it can be used well. On the slab this week Buffy the Vampire Slayer, A Court of Thorns and Roses - Sarah J Maas, He-man (circa 1980s) and many more.

 

Title music: Ecstasy by Smiling Cynic

Dissecting Dragons: Episode 156: Childcatchers and Trunchbulls - Portrayals of Abuse in Children's Fiction

156: Childcatchers and Trunchbulls - Portrayals of Abuse in Children's Fiction

 

Something that all the best Mid Grade or Junior Fiction does, is portray an authentic child's experience of the world, whilst still couching the more difficult aspects in terms that a child can process. This is never more true than in the case of various types of abuse that children may unfortunately be subjected too. However, many adults find such portrayals difficult to access because they are 'cartoonish' and don't deal factually with what's happening. There is also the child censorship issue as to what it is appropriate to include in a children's book.

This week the dragons take a look at why difficult topics are presented the way they are in children's fiction. Why is it that children need that different portrayal that doesn't grip most adults in the same way? Why are portrayals of abuse and bullying so often paired with fantasy elements? How is it that some books contain a subtext accessible only for people who can look with a child's perspective? And why is it important that these unpleasant realities are reflected in children's literature at all? After all, isn't reading about escapism? On the slab this week Goodnight Mr Tom by Michelle Magorian, The Tulip Touch by Anne Fine, Telling the Sea by Pauline Fisk, the Harry Potter series (naturally) and many more.

 

Title Music: Ecstasy by Smiling Cynic

 

 

Dissecting Dragons: Episode 155: All in Your Head - Portrayals of Mental Illness in Modern YA Fiction

Episode 155: All in Your Head - Portrayals of Mental Illness in Modern YA Fiction

 

This week, the dragons are delighted to welcome Kayla Ancrum, author of The Wicker King, to the show. Kayla's debut novel is a dark, contemporary YA thriller that delves deeply into hard hitting issues such as mental illness and codependency, which is why Jules and Madeleine were thrilled to have her join a discussion about portrayals of mental illness in YA fiction. Still labouring under the Gothic tropes of the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, as well as meeting resistance and misunderstanding in the modern day, mental illness can be a knotty issue. In a previous episode (You Fancy Me Mad) the dragons deconstructed the Gothic tropes surrounding MH. In this episode, they look at how literature can help normalise a health issue that is far more common than people realise, and how it can help combat misinformation. What is good mental illness representation in YA fiction? And where are the areas in which it falls down or could use work? Is mental illness in fiction suffering from being, in many cases, an example forced to bear the weight of an entire spectrum? 

Join us for a lively discussion and find out.

Title Music; Ecstasy by Smiling Cynic

 

Dissecting Dragons: Episode 154: Death and Sex Appeal - Assassins in Speculative Fiction

Episode 154: Death and Sex Appeal - Assassins in Speculative Fiction

 

There are few archetypes in speculative fiction who capture our imagination like the assassin. This is matched only by the division between the fantasy and the reality. Assassins in fiction are depicted in a vastly different way to assassins in real life! (Although if there are superpowered, Lycra clad and very visible assassins out there enjoying successful careers, Jules and Madeleine would like to know!) This week the dragons take a look at the assassin in fiction and how male and female assassins are very differently depicted. Why are assassins so often portrayed as a very sexual figure? Why are (incorrect) shortcut words such as psychopath and sociopath so often used as lazy characterisation? And what exactly is the draw to character whose loyalties must always be suspect and whose morality is, at at best, dubious? Find out in this week's episode. 

 

Title music: Ecstasy by Smiling Cynic