The Victorian era is a goldmine for the writer of historical fiction or for writers of SFF who wish to draw inspiration from history. The records are largely complete and it's long enough ago for the 'past to be a foreign country' but recent enough that it doesn't automatically alienate a reader. However, the Victorians have a lot to answer for in terms of influencing our opinions of art, law, literature, history and simply how we interact with each other today. While we have been drawing inspiration from the Victorians, the Victorians have been telling us a very specific story - one in which fact and fiction have been carefully blended to suit a particular narrative. This week, Jules and Madeleine take a look where this becomes a problem, especially for a writer. On the slab this week - Gail Carriger's Souless, Kara Jorgenson's Ingenious Mechanical Devices and many more.
Title music: Ecstasy by Smiling Cynic
Episode 430: This is Fine - Writing Trauma in Sci-fi & Fantasy
Episode 429: All in the Details - How to Use Description in Speculative Fiction part 2
Episode 428: All in the Details - How to Use Description in Speculative Fiction part 1
Episode 427: The Boys are Back in Town - the Dark Heart of the Superhero Genre
Episode 426: Change, Uncertainty and Unhappiness - making low stakes compelling
Episode 425: A Thousand Ships - The Awkward Side of Retelling Greek Myths
Episode 424: Starving Artists and Worshipped Writers - unrealistic depictions of creatives in Film and TV
Episode 423: Memory became legend legend became myth - the dawn of the fantasy genre part 2
Episode 422: Memory became legend legend became myth - the dawn of the fantasy genre part 1
Episode 421: Impossible Monsters - Dinosaurs and Megafauna in Speculative Fiction
Episode 420: Never Coming Home - The Moving Beyond Bereavement and Death is a Sad Thing Tropes
Episode 419: The Sun, the Moon & the Spindle - Tracing the Origins of Sleeping Beauty
Episode 418: the Dark Decent - Transforming a Hero into a Villain in SFF
Episode 417: An Abundance of Janes and Cathys - Retellings of the classics and why they usually suck pt 2
Episode 416: An Abundance of Janes and Cathys - Retellings of the classics and why they usually suck part 1
Episode 415: Seafarers, Swashbucklers and Chaotic Archaeologists - the evolution of Adventure Fiction
Episode 414: Seasons May Change - Stars Farmers & Wild Weather Calendars
Episode 413: Dragon riders & wolf speakers - the Animal Soul Bond in Speculative Fiction
Episode 412: By the Blade - the Evolution of Heroic Fantasy
Episode 411: Kitchen Heroes - Humble Protagonists who get Things Done in Speculative Fiction
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