Swords And Deviltry with Stephen Cox

04/04/22 • 115 min

Chronscast - The Fantasy, Science Fiction & Horror Podcast

Today we're joined by Stephen Cox, the author of the science-fiction drama Our Child Of The Stars, and the newly-published sequel, Our Child Of Two Worlds, both published by Jo Fletcher Books. Stephen dives with us into Fritz Leiber's swords-and-sorcery classic, Swords And Deviltry, which introduces two of fantasy's greatest heroes, the barbarian Fafhrd, and the sly swordsman Gray Mouser. We talk about the origin stories of the two heroes, and the psychodramas contained therein, paying attention to how the young protagonists must each escape the very different types of parental stranglehold to make their own way in the world; the female characters of the world of Nehwon; and Leiber's huge, pervasive influence upon the fantasy genre in all its guises, from fiction to D&D to computer gaming. We also take an in-depth look at Stephen's latest novel, Our Child Of Two Worlds, which continues the story of the charming but lost alien child Cory, and introduces an existential threat to humanity from the outer reaches of the cosmos. Stephen tells us about some of his writing processes, the experience of having two literary agents, and the difficulties of publishing in the 21st century. We also discuss the question of "Hard" SF versus "Soft" SF, and how this is affecting current trends in the genre. Elsewhere The Judge provides fascinating historical (and futuristic) information on how writers might use the issue of defamation for their worldbuilding. We hear Stuart Orford's winning entry from the March 75-word writing challenge, and strange reports of dragons and sorcerers abound in Kinnegad, near the bus stop. Join us in May when our guest will be the multiple award-winning author Tade Thompson, who will be waxing lyrical about Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons's comic book maxiseries masterpiece, WATCHMEN. Index [00:00] Stephen Cox Interview Part 1 [38:57] Voicemail 1 [39:41] The Judge's Corner [54:55] Voicemail 2 [55:54] Writing Challenge Winner [56:55] Voicemail 3 [58:05] Stephen Cox Interview Part 2 Links Stephen Cox's website and blog Join Chrons for free

Previous Episode

An American Werewolf In London with Richard Sheppard

For this episode we're joined by Richard Sheppard, host of The Constant Reader Podcast , which takes a deep dive into all things Stephen King, from his numerous novels to the equally numerous movie and TV adaptations of his work.

Richard talks with us about John Landis's seminal 1981 film An American Werewolf in London, a horror comedy that is funny and scary in equal measure, and remains the high watermark for werewolf movies everywhere, and especially so for a curious period in the early 1980s when werewolf fever seems to have had America in its lycanthropic claw. We talk werewolves in general, taking in themes of duality, Jewishness, sexuality, the Beauty and the Beast myth, and of course, the literally transformative advances made in movie make-up and special effects technology in the late 1970s and early 1980s.

We also take the time to talk about The Constant Reader Podcast, about podcasting more generally, and the possibilities of making your voice heard using non-conventional means.

Elsewhere, The Judge delivers her verdict on defamation, we'll hear Third Player, our very own Christopher's winning entry from the January 300-word challenge, and A Better Yesterday, Reiver33's winning entry from the February 75-word challenge, and a regular evening down in Slish Wood takes a turn for the worse when a full Moon appears from behind the clouds...

Further Reading and Links

The Constant Reader Podcast
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Index

[00:00] Richard Sheppard Interview Part 1

[47:20] Voicemail 1

[48:23] The Judge's Corner

[1:02:24] Voicemail 2

[1:03:08] Writing Challenge Winners

[1:06:18] Voicemail 3

[1:07:08] Richard Sheppard Interview Part 2

Join us next month when we talk to author Stephen Cox about swords and sorcery in Fritz Leiber's genre classic Swords And Deviltry, featuring two of fantasy's greatest heroes, Fafhrd and the Gray Mouser, and Stephen's latest novel Our Child Of Two Worlds.

Next Episode

WATCHMEN with Tade Thompson

On this episode of Chronscast we're joined by award-winning SF author Tade Thompson to talk about WATCHMEN, Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons's comic-book masterpiece that skewers the superhero genre using its own architecture. Tade is the author of numerous novels, including the critically acclaimed sci-fi novel Rosewater, the first in his award winning WORMWOOD TRILOGY, Making Wolf, and most recently Far From the Heaven, and the Molly Southbourne series. He has won the Arthur C. Clarke Award, the Nommo Award, the Kitschies Golden Tentacle award, and the Julia Verlange award, and been shortlisted for the Hugo Award, the Philip K. Dick Award, the British Science Fiction Association Award, and the Shirley Jackson Prize.

We talk about how WATCHMEN reflects contemporary 1980s existential anxieties around the Cold War nuclear annihilation, and how it skewers the absurd braggadocio of the superhero genre. We dig down into the weeds of the book, picking apart the characters, their differing pathologies, and whether salvation lies in a masked figure. We ask how the genre can innovate from here, and why WATCHMEN endures. We also touch on the free spiritedness of Manga, writing fractured timelines as seen in Rosewater, and how the creation of narratives builds a psychological bridge between art and clinical practice.

The Judge gives us the second part of her talk on defamation, reminding us the usually the only winners of such altercations are the lawyers - so watch out! Elsewhere we hear Starship, Christine Wheelwright's excellent winning entry to the April 75-word writing challenge, and Superman has an axe to grind with Pine Marten Man... or is he just jealous?

Further Reading

You Better Watch Yourself
Superfolk
The Kryptonite Kid
Quack This Way
Where Are You Now, Batman?
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Join us next time when we'll be joined by Ed Wilson, literary agent and director of the Johnson & Alcock literary agency. Ed will walk with us through the labyrinth that is Mark Danielewski's mad millennial monster story House Of Leaves.

Index

[00:00:00] Tade Thompson Interview Part 1
[1:04:03] Voicemail 1
[1:05:10] The Judge's Corner
[1:18:03] Voicemail 2
[1:19:00] Writing Challenge Winner
[1:21:02] Voicemail 3
[1:22:00] Tade Thompson Interview Part 2