An interesting slant on both the animal companion and the soul mate tropes, is the 'soul bonded animal' trope. It's been popular in sci-fi and fantasy for many decades but is reaching new levels of popularity with the recent wave of new fantasy.
But what is it about being emotionally and psychically connected to an animal - especially a fantastical animal - which captures the imagination? Why is it so much easier to swallow than the equally intense (in a different direction) fated mates trope? And just how can the soul-bound animal companion help move on the story and shape the main characters arc? Follow the dragons down the rabbit hole this week as they delve in to all these questions and more.
On the slab: Fourth Wing - Rebecca Yarros, The Dragonriders of Pern - Anne McCaffrey, Hid Dark Materials - Philip Pullman, Faebound - Saari El-Arifi and many more.
Title music: Ecstasy by Smiling Cynic
Episode 338: There are Wolves in the Woods - What Folklore Can Teach Us About Storytelling
Episode 337: Relatable or Debateable - Avoiding Mediocre Main Characters in Speculative Fiction.
Episode 336: The Lesser of Two Evils - Creating Moral Dilemmas in Speculative Fiction
Episode 335: Cottage Core & Interdimensional Cafes - Cosy Speculative Fiction
Episode 334: Devotion, Betrayal & Misadventure - Queer Romance in Speculative Fiction
Episode 333: Manners Morals & Monsters - the Growing Trend of Regency Fantasy
Episode 332: Girls With Glass Slippers - Tracing the Origins of Cinderella
Episode 331: Every Act of Creation is an Act of Parody - Filk Music & Fandom in Speculative Fiction
Episode 330: Soaring Brooms & Leaping Sharks - Sport in Speculative Fiction
Episode 329: The Heart of the Carnival - Circuses Amusement Parks & Fair Grounds in Fiction
Episode 328: Getting Your House in Order - 15 things writers shouldn’t do and 5 things they should
Episode 327: White as Snow, Red as Blood - Tracing the origins of Snow White
Episode 326: The Buttery Goodness - What Makes a Story Grab it’s Audience (Part Two)
Episode 325: The Buttery Goodness - What Makes a Story Grab its Audience (Part One)
Episode 324: Dodging the Pulpit - Preachiness in Speculative Fiction and How to Avoid It
Episode 323: Judge Me Not By My Works - The Problem of Labelling Authors
Episode 322: Girls Who Stray From the Path - Tracing the Journey of Little Red Riding Hood
Episode 321: Lesbians against Drink Driving - The Problem of the Activist Character in Speculative Fiction
Episode 320: Within these Hallowed Halls - Dark Academia in Speculative Fiction
Episode 319: Love Never Dies - Romance and Obsession in Speculative Fiction
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