Women in Fantasy

While I will always owe a great debt to JRR Tolkien for Middle-earth, I am also indebted to the women in SFF who captured my imagination and whose works convinced me that it was a good idea to write stories of my own. I'm not one of the people who'll yell PATRIARCHY! at the top of my lungs and become woebegone at the idea that there is some sort of global conspiracy to sideline women SFF authors, but I will quietly add that these are some of the classic fantasy authors who were a great influence on me when I was younger and while I was cutting my sharpening my first quills. You may not find all of them on the shelves at your local store, which is why I am writing about them here. This list is by no means exhaustive, and to my eternal regret, there are still many more women authors I wish to read, but these are the ones (in alphabetical order) who inspired me and are the ones who continue to encourage me.

"The Lady of Shalott" by John William Waterhouse

Beth Bernobich 
A friend of mine, with impeccable reading tastes encouraged me to read Beth's writing, and I've not regretted one instant. I started with her novel, Passion Play, which is the first of her River of Souls trilogy. The reason why I love her writing so much is because her world building is so thoughtful, her characters resonant and reflective. She makes her detailed world appear effortless, borrowing from that which is familiar (in word-usage, naming) only to recast it in what I consider refreshingly non-Eurocentric fantasy. I've gotten to know Beth via social media, and she's also offered me valuable critique and encouragement for my writing when we've had occasion to trade chapters.

Trudi Canavan 
I admit I've not read all Trudi's most recent books, but I really, really enjoyed her Black Magician trilogy, which started out as a coming-of-age story for a young female magician against all odds (and terrible bullying) and quickly grows into an epic. Trudi's writing is easy on the eye, and she sinks you into the story quickly and I'll revisit her writing for certain. I wasn't that enthused by her Age of Five trilogy, purely because I didn't quite buy the world-building, but once again, the writing carries you along even if I kinda figured out what was going on quite soon.

Jacqueline Carey 
Kushiel's Dart was one of those books that struck me hard; now here is an author who is a master of her craft. Jacqueline's magical, alternative history is richly detailed, sensuous without being overly sentimental, and is filled with the kinds of characters you'll want to weep over. Intrigue, betrayal, magic – it's all there. Start with Phèdre's Trilogy. This is a slow-build, gradually unfolding saga that touches on our own histories but spins them out with a magical twist, and I'm long overdue another visit. Her The Sundering duology takes a stab at Tolkien, telling a tale from the perspective of those one would consider the traditional enemies. It's sitting on my Kindle app, glaring at me to be read.

CJ Cherryh 
CJ Cherryh has a formidable oeuvre that spans everything from hard SF through to fantasy. Perhaps the work that has remained the longest with me (and which I'm now overjoyed to own in its entirety) is The Complete Morgaine – a worlds-spanning, gate-jumping SF epic that reads more like straight-up sword-and-sorcery fantasy. I cannot underscore enough what an important contribution this author has made to SFF in general; she is indeed a cornerstone. Her keen perceptions of flawed characters, as well as her solid world building, make reading her tales an unforgettable experience. She is one of the authors I wanted to be like when I was still in high school, dreaming of one day penning my own novels.

Storm Constantine 
Storm Constantine very much forms part of what I consider to be the triumvirate of authors who're akin to my literary demigods, sharing the limelight with Tolkien and Neil Gaiman. If anyone had told me way back in 2007 when I first started on this dark, twisted journey of Becoming an Author, that I'd one day be able to say that Storm Constantine is one of my editors, I'd have scoffed. But, here I am, a decade later, having had three stories edited and published by her, with (at time of writing) a novel-length project in the works. Storm is most beloved for her Wraeththu Mythos, a post-apocalyptic fantasy in which magical hermaphrodite beings inherit the earth after humanity has messed up for the last time. I still get chills knowing that I've been privileged enough to write for this intellectual property. Beyond being an utterly bewitching author whose understanding of the esoteric shines, Storm is the editor who knows *exactly* what to do and say to coax a better story out of me, and I have learnt much from her – and still hope to learn much more.

Kate Elliott 
I came to Kate's writing via her Crown of Stars series, which enraptured me for the diversity of the characters and the terrible, awful things they endure. I'm desperate to return and reread these books, not only for the incredible depth and breadth of the writing (I mean, you *need* to see her references texts to understand why I adore this woman) but also because she so effortlessly takes readers into absolute strangeness, and her understanding of what motivates her characters gives them such a ring of authenticity it's staggering. The sheer volume of her work also slays me. I'm so far behind on my reading with her.

Mary Gentle 
An author I often mention in the same breath as CJ Cherryh, Mary Gentle is one whose works don't often easily fall into either SF or fantasy. I first encountered her Ash: A Secret History, but have since dipped into her other works that have dug deeply into my heart with rusty blades and then twisted. She understands misdirection, reversals, betrayals. Her worlds are tactile, complex. Orthe, which tells the tale of an ambassador visiting an alien world, hurt me. I've read the book twice and each time left me breathless with the devious nature of the narrative. There are also so many of Mary's books that I've still not read. Much to my horror.

Cat Hellisen 
If there's one author who's possibly been instrumental in making a better writer, it's Cat, and I'm proud to name her my friend. She's held the mirror up to me often, and while at first it's not been easy looking into the cracked depths, it's been necessary. But holy fuckmonkeys, her writing is phenomenal. Liquid poetry. Even her early versions leave me breathless with the word paintings. If you have to start with her fiction, pick up either When the Sea is Rising Red or her retelling of Beauty and the Beast, Beastkeeper. She has this uncanny ability of taking the familiar and spinning it out into weird and unexpected ways that leave you breathless. She inspires me to constantly reach deeper within for things of beauty.

Robin Hobb 
Robin's Farseer Trilogy is my go-to for anyone who says that they want to read fantasy but they're not quite sure where to start. Her epic saga (now headed to book nine in the third trilogy) telling of the doings of Fitz the royal bastard and the mysterious Fool, are among my favourite books which I've had the opportunity to revisit. Some fantasy doesn't live up to the re-reading. Not so with Robin's writing. Her world is completely immersive, and every tiny detail has some sort of meaning later on in the story. How she manages to weave this incredibly detailed tapestry while keeping all the facts straight is beyond me. She's also one of the few authors who's made me cry ugly tears. And don't come tell me you've yet to read Assassin's Apprentice. I won't hear of it. Go read this book already. You'll most likely devour the rest too.

Katharine Kerr 
Katharine's Deverry Cycle is a classic, and also highly underrated these days. I've had the occasion to revisit the first four books recently and they were as good to me as they were when I first read them as a teen. What struck me especially was the way Katharine conceptualised her magic system, which knowing what I do now of Western traditions, has a ring of authenticity. I love her envisioning of elves as wandering nomads, ousted by humanity's spread across the land. And I also owe her a huge debt, because her threaded lives of reincarnated characters working out their wyrd most certainly influenced some of the concepts I play with in my own writing. There is a feyness to Katharine's writing and an underlying deeper understanding of history, and how it oft repeats itself.

Ursula K Le Guin 
I must've been about 13 or 14 when I first was able to finish reading A Wizard of Earthsea, the first of the much-vaunted Earthsea Cycle. There's a lot more to Le Guin's stories than meet the eye, and I'm beyond keen to dip into her writing again now that I'm older, to understand what I missed the first time round. She goes deep with her writing and creates a quiet pool for reflection, spanning that chasm that is so often perceived to exist between genre and literary fiction. Le Guin truly stands as a singular beacon in her own right, and deserves far more acclaim than she receives at present. While I don't always mention her as often as I should, I feel compelled to mention her importance here. Her writing matters.

Tanith Lee 
To say that Tanith was a prolific author is an understatement, and I'm sorrowful to say that I haven't read nearly as many of her stories as I feel I should. If you're looking for fast-moving tales, you're going to go away from hers with a great feeling of dissatisfaction, and perhaps earlier I was uncharitable about her writing until I finally twigged that it was the atmosphere and mood, and the shifting shadows and the distinct sense of unease that I had to tap into. If you're used to contemporary fantasy, I suspect you'll struggle to get into her writing, but I promise it's worth it, even in small doses. Also, she was a huge influence on Storm Constantine, which is why I'll persist in delving into her worlds.

Fiona McIntosh 
Fiona was another author whose kinds words and encouragement got me started way back when, when I first started seriously considering writing fiction. I had reviewed a bunch of her fantasy novels, which were highly accessible, and we chatted a few times via email, and I became excited about fantasy as a genre again (and saw my own potential). At times the endings of Fiona's novels feel a bit rushed, but oh, the characters and the worlds – stunning. She's incredibly gifted in the way she creates a sense of fascination with her people and places, and she's also an author I fully intend to read again one day.

Anne McCaffrey 
I first read The White Dragon when I was in Grade 8, and it was one of the novels that changed everything for me. I'd already set a course with JRR Tolkien but Anne pretty much nailed it – this is what I wanted. I've read all her Dragonriders of Pern books at least three times, and I still love them dearly, even if they'll most likely pale in comparison to some of the heavier fare that features regularly in my reading pile. Anne's writing is incredibly accessible and I'm sorry, what's not to love about telepathic, telekinetic dragons who single out their one-and-only riders? Pern will always have a place in my heart. When I first cut my teeth I wrote two and a bit fics set on Pern that, to my continuing horror, have had tens of thousands of hits a decade later and still garner me queries from hopeful readers wanting more who claim I write *just* like Anne. C'mon, what's not to love about praise like that, hey?

JK Rowling 
I know I don't often mention Rowling when I talk about the women fantasy authors who have inspired me and whom I think are absolutely amazing and deserving of honour, but she makes my list. While the concepts she plays with are certainly not new to the fantasy genre (the underdog is the Chosen One who has to battle the odds through a magical academy of some sort), it's the way that Rowling pulls it all together, with equal amounts of whimsy and grit. Her characterisation is what makes her Potterverse for me. Each person who reads the Harry Potter books will find that one character they resonate with, and it's how she allows her imagination free rein, to borrow and subvert, and put out a tale that is both familiar and at once wholly new. She speaks to us about the matters that are important without making us feel as if we're being beaten about the head with ideology.

I'd love to know who your favourite women in SFF are, and if you are a woman who yearns to write the stories that are important to you, realise that it's never too late for you to take up the pen yourself. This is your call to action as much as it is mine, to be reminded that the stories we choose to tell about ourselves have the power to shape our future.

The Tawny Man Trilogy by Robin Hobb #review

The Tawny Man Trilogy by Robin Hobb
(Fool's Errand, The Golden Fool, Fool's Fate)

Where do I even begin? This year I credit my survival as being partially due to good friends and Robin Hobb's books, and The Tawny Man trilogy was key to my emotional and psychological well-being.

FitzChivalry Farseer is by far one of my favourite characters. Life has handed him a raw deal. Every time you think he's at the top of his game, or that things are finally going right for him, the metaphorical rug gets pulled out from beneath his feet.

We learn in this series more about his special relationship with the Fool, and how the two of them are responsible for setting the world to rights. You'd think that Fitz and Nighteyes would slip quietly into history after their high adventure and derring-do to wake dragons and save the Six Duchies from the Red Ship Raiders and a mad king. But no.

This is not the case.

Though Fitz considers himself old, and Nighteyes is even more so a venerable wolf who has long outlived his natural years, the two are dragged into fresh misadventure when they are sent to discover the fate of Queen Kettricken's son. As much as Fitz loathes politics and intrigue, he truly comes alive when he is thrust into the midst of it.

We learn much of how the Wit magic works, as not only do we discover a conspiracy of the Witted to seize power, but there is fresh concern over the fact that the missing Prince Dutiful is betrothed to an Outislander princess.

And there is what I call That Thing That Happens that astute readers would have understood implicitly is coming, is unavoidable, but Hobb sneaks it up on readers with such flair, with such awful dignity and precision that I had to put the book down and have a good, ugly cry for a quarter of an hour. Then I reread that scene again and had to go wash my face. The only other authors who've succeed in reducing me to a blubbering wreck are JRR Tolkien (I cry every time the elves return to the West) and of course Richard Adams's Watership Down.

Fitz and the Fool go on to have hectic adventures, travelling far afield on the trail of, yes... Dragons. While I do feel the pace does flag at times, and Hobb certainly (and rightfully so) is in no hurry to tell the tale, those hankering after fast-paced action may whinge a bit. (And yes, how I loathe those types of readers). This is a story where you let go and immerse for individual scenes, for the descriptions for the incredibly detailed cultural heritage she has constructed. Hobb's rich world-building, her well-realised, three-dimensional characters make this an unforgettable experience. And, of course, every exquisite detail. Pay attention when you read, because often it's the smallest, seemingly inconsequential details that later have earth-shattering ramifications.

This is a story about love, and what people are willing to do for the ones who are dear to them. It's about the secrets that turn around and bite them later; the sacrifices people make. Central to this is the triad of Fitz/The Fool/Nighteyes, and how the three are but parts of one complex character, or rather expressions of the same – a composite that has grown together. And yes, there are times when Hobb rips out your heart, just as she does with Fitz, but then she puts it back together again in the most unexpected ways to make you gasp and place a hand on your chest.

If ever there is an author who inspires me to do better as an author, it's Hobb. Sometimes authors don't stand the test of time; sometimes you return to their writing years later only to be disappointed horribly, (um hello, David Eddings). Not so with Hobb.

Legend (1985) #movie

A young man must stop the Lord of Darkness from both destroying daylight and marrying the woman he loves.

Every once in a while I have that one film or book or something or other that I've been meaning to read or watch for simply ages that I've just never gotten round to. Legend, the 1985 film directed by Ridley Scott, was one of them.

I've watched pretty much all the important 1980s fantasy films – Labyrinth, The Neverending Story, The Dark Crystal, Willow, Highlander, Ladyhawke... Just not Legend. And always, my husband said to me, "No, really, it's crap. Don't."

I never listen to him.

I eventually got my way to see the film on Netflix. I regret that I will not be able to get the 125 minutes of my life back. As much as I do attempt to give films the benefit of the doubt, I couldn't help but wonder, the entire time that I was watching, whether Scott and his crew had been taking some really mean hallucinogenics while in production.

Yes, this is a quest – young dude Jack (Tom Cruise in a really, really risqué golden tunic that leaves very little to the imagination) goes to rescue the princess Lily. There are unicorns. Tim Curry, of course, steals the show as what appears to be Hellboy's grandpappy. There are dwarves too. And Tinkerbell. Oh, did I mention unicorns?

In fact, everything hinges on the unicorns that will act as a sacrifice to ring in Eternal Darkness. Muhahahahahahaha.

Nothing makes sense while our intrepid, nattily garbed young hero prances about in his gilded togs waving a sword he clearly has no idea how to use. There was one, weird scene where a dark Lily dances with the Evil Overlord, which I thought was quite pretty and surreal, but as for the rest – I suspect it will make more sense to three-year-olds who've grown up on a fare of The Magic Roundabout and Teletubbies.

And seriously? What the ever-living fuck was with all the glitter? Glitter EVERYWHERE? The cast and production crew must've found glitter in their pubes for weeks after. Glitter is insidious that way. I suspect this film must've resulted global '85-'86 Glitter Shortage.

The blurb sums up this hot mess of a fantasy cinema entirely. I'd rather watch YouTube clips spliced together from the Tim Curry scenes again than ever endure this disjointed, cobbled-together "let's attempt epic fantasy though we don't have the first clue how the hell to make it work".

I guess if you're tripping off your tits, this film will be amazeballs, but alas I'll not be tripping off my tits again anytime soon and life's too short to endure something that left me feeling a whole lot of what the fuck.

Last Wish & The Gulf by Poppy Z Brite

Title: Last Wish & The Gulf
Author: Poppy Z Brite

There are very few authors in the world who'll immediately make me drop everything I'm doing to go and purchase and read their work immediately, and Poppy Z Brite is one of them. Brite's writing was HUGELY influential on me when I was younger. He's not so much heavy on plot but more on atmosphere and description, with settings that are so tangible, you can smell the miasma of the river water and feel the stickiness of the grains of sand while you walk along the banks.

These two sort stories represent and ending and a beginning (I hope) as Brite hasn't released new fiction for a decade. "The Gulf" was the last piece he worked on before he went on a hiatus, and examines the sense of place that creeps into a person. Mired in nostalgia, it evokes environment and personal nostalgia in the aftermath of Katrina.

"Last Wish" is a deceptively simple flash piece with a wicked little hook at the end that made me gasp in delighted horror. It's short, it's nasty and it's *tight* and I truly hope that this marks the author's return to writing because this piece is *good*. The writing is tighter, has more punch than older works but features all the characteristic mood.

Brite remains my go-to for descriptive writing that paints a vivid, visceral environment.

In Conversation with Ezeiyoke Chukwunonso

An anthology that's worth looking out for when it comes for available, Lights Out: Resurrection features a crop of African authors of horror and dark speculative fiction, edited by Wole Tabali. Today I welcome Ezeiyoke Chukwunoso for a little Q&A.

I realise we know very little about each other. Tell me more about you and what you love writing.

I am Ezeiyoke Chukwunonso, a charter member of African Speculative Society. My collection of short stories, Haunted Grave and Other Stories was published by Parallel Universe Publications during August this year. Prior to that, I have published stories in anthologies such as Emanation: 2+2=5, Emanation: Foray into Forever, Future Lovecraft, Lost Tales from the Mountain: Halloween Anthology Vol. II., African Roar and in so many other places. I was shortlisted in IdeasTap Inspires: Writers' Centre Norwich Writing competition, Ghana Poetry Prize, and Quickfox Poetry Competition. 

I love to write horror, fantasy and science fiction stories although not hard sci-fi. I write literary fiction too but tend to love genre fiction more.

Apart from fiction writing, I am a literary critic and I investigate literature with the lens of a philosopher. I developed a penchant for this during my BA where I majored in philosophy. I discovered that most of contemporary African Literature is useful, functionalist. It is an art that has a socio-political or anthropological relevance. If it did not tend to fight colonialism, it was post-colonialism or it was written with a moral education in view. Practically, art for art's sake, aestheticism was an endangered species. Critics like Achebe, Senghor, Ngugi wa Thiong’o favoured this. Achebe said ‘I would be quite satisfied if my novels (especially the ones I set in the past) did no more than teach my readers that their past – with all its imperfections was not one long night of savagery from which the first Europeans acting on God’s behalf delivered them. Perhaps what I write is applied art as distinct from pure. But who cares?’ And I discovered that that sort of metaphysical assumption made literature predictable and more so hindered aestheticism and the development of genre fiction in Africa for a long time. My writing and research were to propose a better metaphysical assumption that will foster the growth of literature in which art for art sake is prior to functionalism. I have published essays about this in Episteme Journal, and Savvy Journal of Contemporary African Arts.

How does living in Africa inform your writing? Tell me more about your environment, and a day in your life. 

Most of my stories are based in Enugu State in Nigeria where I grew up. In as much as fiction relies on the imagination, I often like to write about setting I am familiar with, a place I can manipulate. I like to have a strong sense of a place in my writing. Apart from the setting, my writing is often influenced by the oral and mythical thoughts of the Igbo people in Nigeria, mainly with regard to religion. I have been fascinated with religion since I was a child, once I was in the seminary hoping to become a Catholic priest. *Laughing* Religion in Nigeria and its superstition still hooks me more than ever although now intellectually. And it is this superstition and the fear inherent in it that I explore often in my horror or fantasy writing.

I currently live in Manchester. My house is near a park. I love the park. I often sit there watching people playing with their dogs. I am still wondering why I haven’t owned a dog yet.

What are you reading at the moment?

I am reading Making Wolf by Tade Thompson. I recently reviewed his Rosewater and I fall in love with his writing especially the pacing, quick page turning. Azanian Bridges by Nick Wood is what I am currently reading whenever I am commuting on the bus. I like reading on the bus, makes the journey quicker. I will be reviewing it soon. I just finished reading Dark Lullaby by Jessica Palmer, I am writing the review currently. Horrorology edited by Stephen Jones is on my bedside. I read bits of it to sleep.

Tell us more about your story as it appears in Lights Out: Resurrection.

"Eaters of Flesh" was inspired by a real event. A relative was undergoing a depression that came with some mental issue. There was this allusion among her family members that what was wrong with her was a demonic attack. Seeking for a scientific medical aid was taken out of the option. Anyway, she later met a psychologist, had a professional help and recovered. The incident, however, stayed with me and formed the basis for the story, "Eaters of Flesh".  The story appeared first in my short story collection, Haunted Grave and Other Stories. 

What are you writing at the moment?

I am working on my debut novel. The first chapter of the novel actually is the story that appeared in the Lights Out: Resurrection. In between the novel, I research on my philosophical essays on literature. I am writing a couple of short stories too. 

In Conversation with Raymond Elenwoke

I've recently had the pleasure of being included in a horror anthology of fabulous African authors, Lights Out: Resurrection that was edited by Wole Talabi, so I thought I'd take a little time to get to know my fellow authors. Today it's Raymond Elenwoke who's over for a little Q&A...

I realise we know very little about each other. Tell me more about you and what you love writing.

My name is Raymond Elenwoke, and I am a Nigerian writer. I am also an auditor and financial consultant, currently residing in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, Nigeria. I love writing stories that explore a variety of genres, mainly horror, thriller, speculative fiction and sci-fi.

How does living in Africa inform your writing? Tell me more about your environment, and a day in your life.

For me, the phrase “living in Africa” feels very vague, because Africa is too big and diverse to be classified as a single place. I live in Port Harcourt in Rivers State, Nigeria, and even then, living there is very different from living in, say, Elele, in the same Rivers State, because these towns/cities have very distinct personalities.

Having said that, living in Port Harcourt is an exercise in patience, both with yourself and your environment. This has affected my writing in more ways than one. In the sense that I am (still) learning to infuse the identity of the town I set my stories into the story, no matter the genre. My environment helps inform my thinking, both in terms of character development and in terms of setting. Being someone who learned his trade from consuming books and writing advice from foreign (Western) authors/movies, living in Port Harcourt helps me realise that the police procedures in Phoenix, Arizona or Luton, United Kingdom are very different from the police procedures in Port Harcourt, Nigeria. This helps me also realise that my characters will have certain challenges unique to not just the environment in which I set them, but also unique to the culture of the place AND time the story is set in.

My environment is quite dynamic. I may start the day at my desk and end it in a client’s office halfway across town, or in class, studying for my professional exams. My day usually starts at about 4.30 am, and after my morning devotion, I have to study for a bit before training/exercising for a few minutes, and then leaving the house for work. If I get to work early enough, I can write a bit, if not I have to wait until the close of work to be able to let my imagination run wild. In between this, when I am on break I could read a story or two, or watch a show to relax.

What are you reading at the moment?

At the moment, I am studying for the final round of my professional exams, so this has limited my literature reading time. However, one I am reading now is Breakers by Edward W Robertson, which is a surprisingly good book about the end of the world. Before this I read the amazing Doctor Sleep by the effervescent Stephen King, and I also reviewed the excellent Rosewater by Tade Thompson, published by Apex Publications, the smartest story about an alien invasion I have ever come across. Pre-order it as it comes out in November 15, 2016. You can read my review of it here.

So is it courage or strength, And is that what I’m waiting for… I once said Rosewater would make me wax lyrica...

In addition to my professional reading, I am reading, you guessed it, Lights Out: Resurrection. Amazing collection. Seriously.

Tell us more about your story as it appears in Lights Out: Resurrection.

My story is titled "Koi-Koi". The title is derived from the sound any person who attended Boarding School in Nigeria will most likely recognise. The story revolves around Lady Koi Koi, the Secondary School Legend.

When I was approached to write a story for the collection, I had no idea what I was going to write, to be honest. I saw the email on Monday morning at the office, and realised that I had until Friday to write and submit a story. Even though I had nothing, I joyfully accepted the story, because I had been waiting for the literary event. I had a story that had been swimming beneath the surface,so I started writing. 80% into the story and about two to the deadline, I realised this was not the story for the collection, so I left it unfinished, and spent most of the day letting the story tell itself to me. When it was ready, I set about discovering it.

Koi-Koi is an imagining of origin of the Lady Koi Koi mythos, because why not? When I first heard the tale, all I could picture were legs in a pair of black heels. No body. Just from the knees down. There were more ghostly/supernatural tales from my time to choose from, but this one…this one had a silent menace about it. You always seemed to hear it, only in the dark, only at night, but you never saw it. Those who did…well, I would imagine they were either dead or too far gone t really tell us about their experience….

*sinister laugh*

What are you writing at the moment?

At the moment, I am working on a number of projects.

First off I am working on a serial story I started writing when I was studying in London a few years back. It is time for the story to come home.

I am also working jointly on a project with another amazing writer friend of mine, Seun Odukoya. The project involves Sango and Amadioha, the Yoruba and Igbo gods of thunder.

I am also finishing my novel, Rising Night, a story that has detectives, angels, demons and yes, ninjas.