Shiny swords, sharpshooting archers, magically-assisted martial arts: all these things are staples of fantasy literature. But how do you do fights right? Guest SL Huang joins us to discuss all the pointy bits!
In this episode, we think not just about the technology and technicalities of fighting, but also how combat fits into (or goes against the grain of) social norms. Is your world one where a citizen can routinely be challenged to a duel? Or expects to be punched in the face if they say something rude? Or is physical violence more taboo? How do societal standards and more tangible concerns shape the style of combat? How do ideas of gender and class play into who fights, where, when, and how? We explore all this and more!
[Transcript TK]
Our Guest: SL Huang is a Hugo-winning and Amazon-bestselling author who justifies an MIT degree by using it to write eccentric mathematical superhero fiction. Huang is the author of the Cas Russell novels from Tor Books, including Zero Sum Game, Null Set, and Critical Point, as well as the new fantasies Burning Roses and The Water Outlaws. In short fiction, Huang’s stories have appeared in Analog, F&SF, Nature, and more, including numerous best-of anthologies. Huang is also a Hollywood stunt performer and firearms expert, with credits including “Battlestar Galactica” and “Top Shot.” Find SL Huang online at www.slhuang.com or on Twitter as @sl_huang.
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Episode 48: That Belongs in a Museum, ft. MARINA LOSTETTER
Episode 47: The Timey-Wimey Episode
Episode 46: Join in If You Know the Chorus, Ft. C. L. CLARK
Episode 45: Let’s Be Diplomatic
Episode 44: Old MacDonald Had a Dragon
Episode 43: Getting There is Half the Fun, ft. KATE ELLIOTT
Episode 42: Life, Worldbuilding, & Everything, ft. STINA LEICHT
Episode 41: Myths, Legends and Other Lies of History ft. Marie Brennan & Alyc Helms (M.A. Carrick)
Episode 40: The Sacred and the Profane, ft. K. B. WAGERS!
Episode 39: Episode 39: Three-pourri
Episode 38: Writing the Dark Side ft. ANNA STEPHENS
Episode 37: Names Are Hard -- A Deep Dive into WFM’s Shared World
Episode 36: Toil and Trouble
Episode 35: The Circle of Life
Episode 34: The Reluctant Worldbuilder (ft. MIKE CHEN)
Episode 33: Disability and Inclusion ft. ELSA SJUNNESON
Episode 32: There’s No Place Like Home ft. ZORAIDA CÓRDOVA
Episode 31: Living by the Sword ft. MICHAEL R UNDERWOOD
Episode 30: Fantasy Race and Avoiding Fantasy Racism ft. K. TEMPEST BRADFORD, K.S. VILLOSO, and SARAH GUAN!
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