Review - The Three Body Problem by Liu Cixin

With the scope of Dune and the commercial action of Independence Day, Three-Body Problem is the first chance for English-speaking readers to experience this multiple-award-winning phenomenon from  China’s most beloved science fiction author, Liu Cixin.

Set against the backdrop of China’s Cultural Revolution, a secret military project sends signals into space to establish contact with aliens. An alien civilization on the brink of destruction captures the signal and plans to invade Earth. Meanwhile, on Earth, different camps start forming, planning to either welcome the superior beings and help them take over a world seen as corrupt, or to fight against the invasion. The result is a science fiction masterpiece of enormous scope and vision.

This is a hard review to write as I have mixed feelings about this book. On one hand it is a powerful and extraordinary story with massive scope and vision. On the other hand it's incredibly slow and clunky beginning left me feeling a little drained (and confused) by the middle of the book. 

The Three Body Problem tells the story of the Trisolarans, an alien race whose civilisation has evolved in a triple star system on a planet where the forces of nature are in constant flux. Faced with eventual extinction, they decide upon a course of conquest (watch out Earth) in order to survive. Meanwhile on Earth, the threat of this impending invasion causes factions to form in order to determine our response (despite the fact the actual invasion is hundreds of years away due to the distances involved). 

Opening with a brutal scene set in during the Chinese Cultural Revolution, the Three Body Problem launches into a plot that involves lots of violence and death, questions over the objectivity of science, and a secret Chinese SETI project involving a virtual reality game. And herein lies my problem with the first parts of this book. There was so much background to take it in and get my head around that I found myself bogged down at times. The story itself moves at a very slow pace, and whilst it all comes together in the end wonderfully there were times I contemplated not finishing (my advice, keep going, it's worth it). I also really struggled to connect with the main protagonists in these early parts. Ye Wenjie's moments were fascinating but too few and far between. And Wang Miao really didn't have an impact on me until significant plot points started to become clearer (global conspiracies, alien contact, and the role of the Three Body game). In saying this once I reached the halfway point of the book things started to pick up and become more exciting and immersive, as earlier plot points became clearer and the direction of the book more concise. The last part of the book, from the perspective of the Trisolarans, was exhilarating (note, basic knowledge of particle physics may aid in your enjoyment) and made the initial slog worth it. 

The other saving grace for the Three Body Problem are the ideas and concepts that it deals with. I adored the notion of the Three Body game, and the discussions around alien contact and the SETI programs fascinating and complex. As someone who has long been fascinated by the prospect of first contact with an alien species I found how the Three Body Problem dealt with it to be both bold and original. I also enjoyed the snippets of political, cultural, and military history that were inserted (footnotes from Ken Liu, who translated this from its original Chinese, are provided) into the story. 

Where the Three Body Problem is mainly let down is in it's weak characterisation in the first half of the story. Those early chapters are where a writer needs to hook in its readers, and I felt that the Three Body Problem failed to do this adequately for my taste. Some other reviewers have mentioned a couple of issues with the translation, and that may be a part of the problem with the first half of the book. As a Hugo Award winner (Best Novel 2015) though I decided to persevere with it, and ultimately I felt the book finished on a high both epic in scope and execution that left an intriguing set up for the next instalment. 

The Three Body Problem was a fascinating and original story with some flaws. Ultimately though its incredible breadth and scope, when paired with its discussion of alien contact, make this book well worth the read. 

3.5 stars out of 5. 

A review copy was provided. 

Money That Cuts Like a Sword - Seth Dickinson

We live in a time of accidental conspiracy.

Our fate — your fate, my fate, the destiny of everyone we love and all those we detest — is ruled by a global network of money, politics, and violence. This power surrounds us at all times. It influences our choices. Sometimes it topples entire nations. No one really understands how this system works, even though it would vanish overnight if we stopped operating it.

That system has the capability to annihilate itself in just a few hours of nuclear exchange. That's pretty crazy, if you think about it. And it's more crazy that the stability of the system depends, in part, on that threat.

We live on a suspension bridge, kept up by tension in the cables — and one of the cables is extinction.

It sounds fantastic, doesn't it? Almost supernatural. Forces beyond any mortal mind shape our lives! But we're constantly nonplussed. The global economy crashes and we sigh: oh, not again.

Somehow, we've made the daemon that runs our lives...kind of boring.

We need to make it exciting! We need to be thrilled and engaged. If we don't care about how the world works, we'll never fix it. But good luck trying to get addicted to articles about collateralized debt obligations or gerrymandering.

Enter fantasy!

Enter The Traitor Baru Cormorant, my debut novel: the tale of a brilliant young woman trying to rip apart an empire from the inside. Baru's frozen out of military and political power. She has to complete her mission without an army or a voice in government — at least until she can build her own army, and her own shadow government.

I wanted to write a fantasy about powerful, brilliant people battling for world domination. I wanted them to wield incomprehensible might — the power to alter millions of lives with one perfect, subtle incantation.

So I made Baru an accountant. She runs a bank. Kind of a weird choice for a book I'm trying to sell as an action-packed thriller, right?

I can't stand boring books. So I knew I had to solve a big problem. How do we make economics and politics as exciting as a swordfight, a battle against pirates, or open war? The book has all these things, but I wanted it to feel taut and thrilling even when Baru was behind a desk. The banking schemes and political maneuvers had to feel as lively, dangerous, and compelling as a duel to the death.

A good fight scene requires only two things, dear reader: rules and stakes. Rules so that we know how the fighters can win and lose. Die Hard works because we know that John McClane will get hurt if he steps on broken glass — and die if he gets shot. But Superman fighting Zod in Man of Steel doesn't work, because we have no idea how many super-punches it takes to kill Superman or Zod. It's all just noise and light.

And we need stakes, so that we care about who wins. When Ellen Ripley goes back to rescue Newt in Aliens, we care, because we want her to save her surrogate daughter! When Iron Man fights Thor in The Avengers, we...don't really care. It's violence without stakes or consequence. They get over it with a few quips.

And the clearer the rules, the sharper the stakes (not higher, mind, but sharper), the more we care! This is what's hard about writing thrilling economics. When Jaime Lannister gets his hand chopped off, we understand deep down what that means. We know he can't swordfight any more, and we know that it hurts. We know he'll be maimed for the rest of his life. Physical action is intuitively exciting, because we already know the rules and stakes.

But if Baru decides to lower the interest rate...who cares? So it's easier to borrow money. Yawn. Maybe a peasant can pay for a new horse, and avoid bankruptcy. But we've never met that peasant. We don't care. And what is an interest rate, anyway?

If you want to write thrilling economics and engaging politics, you need rules and stakes. You need the reader to understand, intuitively and without effort, what could go wrong — just like they do when someone picks up a knife by the blade. And you need a reason to care if something goes wrong.

So here's my advice, readers and writers:

We already know the rules of politics and economics, just like we know to be scared of that knife. What hurts us, in our day-to-day lives? We're not scared of swords. We're afraid of shame. We're afraid of disappointing the people who're counting on us. We're afraid of injustice — being robbed, exploited, or used. We're afraid of being alone.

Economics is the art of what people want, and how they get it. Politics is the art of convincing people to do what needs to be done. When you lose a money game, you get robbed, exploited, and used. When you lose a political gambit, you let down your supporters and shame yourself in front of everyone. Your dreams wither. Maybe you're imprisoned, or exiled, or executed by drowning. Maybe you just live a ruined life.

And if you're Baru, a deep-cover agent reporting to nobody but herself, on a life-long mission to liberate your home, then you're already so alone.

Before any swordfights, heists, cavalry charges, or exploding ships, Baru's best weapon is a pen and a sharp mind. She tracks movement and glances at parties, to map secret alliances. She detects treason in the back pages of secret ledgers. She exploits her own tax system to fund a rebel army. If she's discovered, she'll be drowned for treason and doom her parents to a life of slavery. Rules and stakes! 

In the end, a story is all about people. You don't need to explain the relationship between the money supply, inflation, and price levels — you just need to explain why someone in your story cares about it. 

If a reader loves a character, they'll follow her into anything. Even tax codes. 

Fantasy is powerful. When the Dark Lord invades with an army of ugly orcs, we know we should be afraid. But the world isn't threatened by a Dark Lord these days. It's threatened by the very daemon that made us so rich and powerful.

We need to claim that daemon's incomprehensible power for ourselves! We need to understand a bit of how the world works, and work and vote and labor to make it better. That's why I wrote a fantasy about a young woman who understands money and politics as well as she understands treachery and war — because she cares about the things we need to care about.

The Traitor/The Traitor Baru Cormorant is available to purchase/preorder from all good online retailers and bricks and mortar stores. You can check out some links here at Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Booktopia, and Book Depository. More information can also be found here at Pan Macmillan for Australian residents. 

We here at Smash Dragons had the opportunity to read this a few weeks ago, and damn we were impressed. A truly magnificent entry in the genre, and a must read for all speculative fiction fans!

GIVEAWAY - Zeroes by Margo Lanagan, Deborah Bianchetti, and Scott Westerfeld

It's giveaway time here at Smash Dragons!!!

For the chance to win a copy of Zeroes by Margo Lanagan, Deb Bianchotti, and Scott Westerfeld follow me on twitter (@mdsummers) and retweet my giveaway post. 

It is that simple! 

It will be drawn on Saturday 19th September at 1pm AEST. 

This competition is for Australians only, as international postage is a killer.

Best of luck! 

Matt

Review - If Then by Matthew De Abaitua

In the near future, after the collapse of society as we know it, one English town survives under the protection of the computer algorithms of the Process, which governs every aspect of their lives. The Process gives and it takes. It allocates jobs and resources, giving each person exactly what it has calculated they will need. But it also decides who stays under its protection, and who must be banished to the wilderness beyond. Human life has become totally algorithm-driven, and James, the town bailiff, is charged with making sure the Process’s suggestions are implemented.

But now the Process is making soldiers. It is readying for war — the First World War. Mysteriously, the Process is slowly recreating events that took place over a hundred years ago, and is recruiting the town’s men to fight in an artificial reconstruction of the Dardanelles campaign. James, too, must go fight. And he will discover that the Process has become vastly more sophisticated and terrifying than anyone had believed possible.

I stumbled upon If Then whilst browsing online one day. I can't recall the exact circumstances, but I remember thinking that it sounded cool and weird. So when I finally had the opportunity to read this story I expected a tale that would fascinate and throw me off balance at the same time. And boy, was I not disappointed! 

If Then tells the tale of a post apocalyptic town that survives under the control and protection of computer algorithms called the Process. The Process runs everything, from food and job allocations right down to who stays in the town and who is banished. Sound weird? It is! Everything seems to be going swimmingly, until the Process starts making soldiers to fight in events that it is recreating from the past. When James, a citizen of the town, is forced to go and fight in an artificial reconstruction of the Dardanelles campaign from World War One, he discovers that the Process has evolved into something more terrifying and dangerous than anyone could imagine. 

I loved so many things about this book, from its surreal and weird setting right through to its horrific action sequences and off balanced tone. De Abaitua does a superb job of drawing you into the world he has constructed in If Then. Lewes is a perfectly described rural community, and at first you are led to believe that it is just like any other pastoral society. That is until De Abaitua sprinkles his narrative with tidbits about neural impulses, drones, and computer algorithms. This environment of normality broken by reminders of its constructed nature constantly threw me off balance and kept me enthralled as the story progressed. The Process itself, and how it controls humanity, is also incredibly well described and creepy. I adored the dark and cold tones of its reign over humanity, and found its management of Lewes fascinating (albeit very cruel in a cold and rationalistic way). 

I also adored the characters of James and Ruth, and how they both evolved as the mysteries of the Process and the town were revealed. Their discovery of a construct called Hector, right through to James serving as a stretcher bearer in an artificial Dardanalles campaign, is what drives If Then.  Through their eyes De Abaitua takes us on a journey that not only explores the horrific nature and senselessness of war but also asks questions about the value we place on people beyond an economic sphere. Ruth in particular does this magnificiently, when she questions the existence of the town and her husband's role in it (James is the town's bailiff). This philosophical and thoughtful tone worked brilliantly throughout the novel, especially when it was also incorporated alongside the horrors of trench warfare or a forced eviction from the town. 

And the action sequences... holy hell... horrific... jarring... and utterly encapsulating the utter waste that occurred in World War One. As someone who has studied war (I have post graduate credentials in military history) I was stunned by the accuracy and sheer hopelessness that De Abaitua was able to capture in this story. The pace was also frenetic, just when I was feeling level and settled I was thrown off balance by a twist or insertion of weirdness that added yet another rich layer to an already complex tale. If Then is only 400 odd pages, but it feels like a much larger and deeper tale due to De Abaitua's skill at weaving an amazing story. 

If Then is an incredibly enthralling and original tale that still has me thinking about it weeks after I read it. A brilliant entry onto the scene, If Then is a must read for anyone even remotely interested in speculative fiction. 

4 out of 5 stars.

A review copy was provided. 

Review - A Crucible of Souls by Mitchell Hogan

When young Caldan's parents are brutally slain, the boy is raised by monks who initiate him into the arcane mysteries of sorcery.

Growing up plagued by questions about his past, Caldan vows to discover who his parents were, and why they were violently killed. The search will take him beyond the walls of the monastery, into the unfamiliar and dangerous chaos of city life. With nothing to his name but a pair of mysterious heirlooms and a handful of coins, he must prove his talent to become apprenticed to a guild of sorcerers.

But the world outside the monastery is a darker place than he ever imagined, and his treasured sorcery has disturbing depths he does not fully understand. As a shadowed evil manipulates the unwary and forbidden powers are unleashed, Caldan is plunged into an age-old conflict that will bring the world to the edge of destruction.

Soon, he must choose a side, and face the true cost of uncovering his past.

I've had an itch that needed scratching for awhile now.

You see... I grew up loving big fat epic fantasy. 

No joke, I couldn't get enough. 

Tolkien, Williams, Eddings, Jordan, and Feist... all of them were consumed with a zeal and a love that took me on many an adventure. And then I stumbled upon Sara Douglass in my teenage years, and it was game over. A local author... writing epic fantasy... hell yes! I was hooked to the genre, bonded for life. I eagerly awaited every new release from Douglass, lining up at bookstores (the internet was still young people!) to purchase first editions as they pulled them from their boxes to put on the shelves. Epic Fantasy was on the rise here in Australia, and life was good. 

And then, it wasn't. 

Somewhere along the way big fat epic fantasy stumbled, and the rise of darker and edgier books such as the ASOIAF series, and the sudden growth of the YA market, saw big fat epic fantasy basically disappear in Australia by the time I had hit university. And that was ok, because I loved (and still do) the ASOIAF books.. and I enjoyed reading about the adventures of Harry Potter. And come on, who doesn't love Joe Abercrombie and his work?!? Fantasy was still chugging along and growing nicely, and there were new Australian authors appearing to satisfy my need for great local writers (Trudi Canavan, Karen Miller, and Kylie Chan spring to mind). But I still felt like something was missing. I yearned for a big fat epic fantasy that would sweep me away to another world. A book that would celebrate much loved tropes without being cliched and predictable. And a traditional story that took me on a journey filled with danger and adventure. 

And so I went looking for one. I scoured the shelves at the bookstores, and searched high and low for something to fill that hole. And then one day, whilst searching Amazon, I stumbled upon a self published book called A Crucible of Souls by a fellow called Mitchell Hogan. 'Nice title', I thought.. and clicked on the link. The book seemed to be gaining good feedback from people, and the blurb sounded intriguing, so I investigated further. Upon discovering he was Australian I quickly slammed the BUY NOW button and dove in, hoping for the best. 

I was not disappointed. 

A Crucible of Souls scratched that itch, and then some. 

And that brings me to today, with Harper Voyager's release of the paperback version of this book (Hogan was signed to HV last year following the success of his self published stories). And I must admit, I had some concerns. Would they fiddle with the story too much? Would characters and scenes that I loved be cut throughout their editing process? Would the story still be as good as it was when I first took that leap of faith in 2013? 

Well I am happy to report that it still rocks. And, in fact, it may just even be better this time around. 

A Crucible of Souls tells the story of Caldan, a young man whose parents were mysteriously slain years earlier by forces unknown. Raised by monks, and initiated into the arcane mysterious of sorcery and magic, Caldan eventually decides to learn more about his parents and why they were killed. Striking out from the monastery that has sheltered him for most of his life, Caldan is faced with dangers long thought buried, as the shadows of evil grow and circle around him, and the world teeters on the edge of destruction. 

(Got your epic fantasy feels working in overdrive yet?!? Good... read on!)

So what did I love about this book? EVERY-DAMN-THING!

Like I mentioned earlier, A Crucible of Souls scratched that itch that was bugging me for years on end. It features everything that I love about big fat epic fantasy. It has a central character who basically embarks on a 'Hero's Journey', an enthralling and incredibly amazing world that blew my brain sideways (I mean come on... magically enhanced golems people), and a unique and captivating magic system that frankly is among my favourites ever written (and I'm a Sanderson fan!). But it also goes even further. Hogan embraces what is truly great about traditional epic and sword and sorcery fantasy and its tropes and blends it with more modern elements to make it a fantastic read. The characterisation throughout the story, from Caldan right down to the lowliest peasant, is strong and full of agency and depth (yes you want to strangle Caldan at times for his idiocy.. but that was part of his charm I found). The battles, chases, and confrontations are all exciting, tense, and extremely well written, and the story and pace of the book fluid, fast, and dynamic. Just when you think Hogan will succumb to standard cliches he twists the plot and takes you along a different avenue. I ripped through this book all over again in a frenzy, and adored every minute of it. In fact, I think this version from Harper Voyager is an improvement (which is high praise indeed seeing as I adored the self published version) over its predecessor. The story itself feels a little tighter and quicker, and some of the padding has been cut out where it wasn't needed. And the maps... oh the maps! They were a wonderful inclusion at the start that added yet another layer to an already brilliantly described world. 

So did I notice anything that I didn't like? No, not really. If I had one small criticism it would be that I wanted to know a little more about the magic and its various orders, but that in itself is the tiniest complaint and probably me just being too picky seeing as it's the first novel in a series (you don't want all of your secrets revealed too quick!). 

A Crucible of Souls was my favourite book of 2013, and it deserved the Aurealis Award it received that year. This version is better, and it hits all the markers that epic fantasy and sword and sorcery fans want and crave. Hogan has weaved a truly sublime tale that acknowledges and embraces well loved tropes whilst also offering something new and fantastic. Not only has Hogan scratched that itch that was bugging me, he has in fact held me down and tattooed this book onto my soul. 

Australia's answer to Rothfuss and Sanderson, A Crucible of Souls is an absolute must read for old and new fans of the genre alike!

5 out of 5 stars (I would give it more if I could... I love it that much!)

A review copy was provided. 

Review - The Mechanical by Ian Tregillis

My name is Jax.

That is the name granted to be by my human masters.

I am a clakker: a mechanical man, powered by alchemy. Armies of my kind have conquered the world - and made the Brasswork Throne the sole superpower.

I am a faithful servant. I am the ultimate fighting machine. I am endowed with great strength and boundless stamina.

But I am beholden to the wishes of my human masters.

I am a slave. But I shall be free.

I have watched the rise of Ian Tregillis with great interest. I was first introduced to his work via his Milkweed Triptych books, a trilogy that included English warlocks and Nazi super soldiers pitting their wits against each other as the war raged around them. To say I was smitten with these books would be an understatement. I bloody adored them and their action filled pseudo-Lovecraftican weirdness! So when I heard that Tregillis was writing another alternate history with steampunk themes called The Mechanical, I celebrated, and then immediately ordered a copy for myself.

And boy, I am glad I did! 

I loved so many things about this book that it would take me an age or two to completely deconstruct and explain my thoughts on it, so I will try and keep it simple. This book is an absolute stunning read, and Tregillis is one of the most underrated writers in the world today. 

The Mechanical is set in an alternative universe where in the 17th century prominent scientist Christiaan Hyugens uses magic to develop an army of intelligent clockwork automatons that are bound (via a series of spells and bonds) to their masters. This breakthrough changes the face of history in Europe, with the Calvinist Dutch empire surviving and expanding rapidly whilst overthrowing their foes (who in their right mind would fight an army of automatons anyway?). The Mechanical takes place three hundred years after this, with Dutch still remaining the dominant power around the globe despite being opposed by French Papists, who are becoming more and more desperate as time passes. 

The opening pages of the book set the tone. We are introduced to the first of the main protagonists of this story, an automaton called Jax, as he watches the execution of French spies. From this beginning Tregillis launches into a tale that combines themes from steampunk, spy novels, political thrillers, and philosophical tracts. Jax, following the execution of the French spy ring in the Netherlands, find himself unwittingly (when he is used to smuggle intelligence across the Atlantic) caught up in wide ranging events alongside the other protagonist of the book, French spymaster Berenice Charlotte de Mornay-Périgord. Their fates become further entwined as they attempt, amidst the growing chaos, to achieve what they want most our of their existence, freedom (Jax) and revenge (Berenice). Their relationship is truly one of the highlights of the book. I absolutely adored the character of Jax (and the Clakkers in general), and how he struggled with his growing humanity and the dilemma of free will amidst the sea of cold cruelty from humanity around him. Jax's tale was truly absorbing, and his inner monologue and existential crisis kept me glued to the pages as I read. Berenice was also a fascinating character, with the highs and lows of her life revealing a truly complex and layered individual whose main goal in life was one of vengeance throughout the story. As her complicated struggle with life grew more tense, so did Jax's existential crisis. Add to this a cast of other spies, clakkers, and religious and political figures ruthlessly building or trying to destroy an empire and you have the makings of an incredible story. 

The world building in the Mechnical is also simply superb. As a history buff and teacher I was utterly enthralled by the world Tregillis created in this book. It was weird, wonderful, and filled with little tidbits that sent waves of contentment coursing through my brain. There is no one on earth (that I can immediately think of) that writes alternative history quite like Tregillis, and it is truly gripping when he flips history on its head and weaves themes from fantasy, steampunk, and philosophy into it. The world building alone makes this book worth buying, and then Tregillis adds a wonderful story that is filled with intrigue, action, and adventure to the melting pot to take it to that next level. 

The pacing and timing was also superb, and I tore through it in two sittings over the space of a couple of days. Whenever I had a spare moment I found myself eying the book and considering whether or not I had the time to devour another chapter instead of doing the chores around the house. That for me is the sign of a great book. I was forever looking for my fix! 

I literally cannot fault this book... and I seriously could ramble on and on for days and days about the little nuances that I loved in this book, such as the threading of the philosophies of Descartes and Spinoza (who existed in this alternative timeline!), or the clash between clockwork automatons and French applied chemistry. The Mechanical is simply an awesome tale (and the first in a series!), and one that I cannot recommend highly enough. 

If you have a beating heart and functioning brain you will love this book. 

5 out of 5 stars. 

A review copy was provided. 

Interview - Kate Forsyth

Hey Peeps! 

I am absolutely delighted to be able to bring you yet another awesome interview in our ongoing series focusing on local (and awesome) writers. This week, Kristy (from the awesome Book Frivolity blog) and I had the amazing pleasure to chat to the legendary Kate Forsyth. Kate has had such an incredible impact on the speculative and historical fiction scene here in Australia, and it was such an honour for Kristy and I to sit down and shoot the breeze with her about writing, her latest book The Beast's Garden, and how she goes about her research and investigating for a book. (note, my questions are in black and Kristy's are in blue. Be sure to check out her amazing site too over at Book Frivolity... she's a very cool cat!) 

Enjoy!

Kate Forsyth, welcome to Smash Dragons and Book Frivolity!

First up, tell us about yourself. 

Why did you start writing? Was it something you always envisaged doing professionally even when you were young?

I have always wanted to be a writer. There was never a moment of epiphany in which I thought: that’s it! That’s what I have to do! I just always knew. I began writing stories and poems as soon as I could hold a pencil, and I wrote my first novel when I was seven. I have never stopped since. As soon as I finish one novel, I begin thinking about the next.

Your latest book, The Beast’s Garden, is a fascinating retelling of Beauty and the Beast that is set in Nazi Germany. I’m curious, what inspired this particular story and its setting? 

The idea first came to me as a kind of dream. I was drifting between sleep and awakening, in that hypnopompic state I call the shadowlands. A lot of my best ideas come to me in that state – not quite a dream, not quite a daydream. I call it ‘liminal dreaming’. 

I saw a young woman dressed in a long golden dress, leaning on a black piano and singing in a very sensual way to a nightclub full of SS officers in their sinister black uniforms. Somehow I knew that the woman was German, and she was some kind of resistance fighter seeking to cajole secrets from the Nazi officers. More images came – I imagined her hiding in the rubble of a bombed out city, and scrabbling for something to eat in a wintry forest. I knew that she had an old battered copy of Grimm’s Fairy Tales that was like a talisman for her.

At the time, I was struggling with my novel The Wild Girl, which tells the story of the forbidden romance between Wilhelm Grimm and Dortchen Wild, the young woman who told him many of the world’s most famous fairy tales. One of the stories she told him was ‘The Singing. Springing Lark’, an utterly beautiful version of ‘Beauty & the Beast’ which I loved because of the courage and steadfastness of the heroine, who must follow her beloved beast-husband for seven years and battle with the enchantress who first cursed him. I was trying to find ways to weave Dortchen’s tales through my novel, and had not yet seen my way clear. 

I was, at the same time, also working on the chapter on the Grimm brothers in my doctoral exegesis. I had discovered that Adolf Hitler had been a great fan of the Grimms, and that the Allies had banned their books and stories after the end of the Second World War. This really troubled me, as I had loved the Grimms’ fairy tales since I was a child, but had hated all that Nazism stood for since I had read Anne Frank’s Diary when I was twelve. 

These worries and anxieties had kept me from sleeping, and so I had read an old World War II thriller into the dark hours of the night. My subconscious mind connected all these different things, and somehow put them together into my vision of the girl in a golden dress (which is a key motif of ‘The Singing, Springing Lark’.)

I knew at once I was going to write a story about the German resistance – even though I did not yet know there had been one! 

When re-imagining such a well-known tale, are there confines that you find you need to write within, so it doesn’t stray from the initial essence of the story? 

For me, yes. It is always very important that I am true as possible to what I see as being the spirit of the original story. This is because I love the stories so much, and believe passionately in their hidden meanings. However, I would never set those constraints upon other creative artists. I think fairy tales and myths and legends are extraordinarily versatile, and open to interpretation, and that there are many ways to turn them inside out and upside out, and shake new stories out of them. 

If so, do you write the story within the confines, or do you mould the story to them once you have the initial story down?

I write my story within the confines as I see them. 

There are a number of books that deal with the horrors of Nazi Germany, and recently some that have caused some outrage due to the indecorous ways they deal with it. How do you go about creating three dimensional characters and scenes, in a way that doesn’t infringe on the memory of those that survived such a horrific time in history, especially when it is still so fresh in our cultural memory?

You have put your finger firmly upon what was my greatest challenge in writing The Beast’s Garden. It was soul-harrowing research, and I felt very strongly the need to be as sensitive and truthful as possible. I kept imagining myself into the skin of my heroine, Ava. She was just an ordinary young woman, who had to make very difficult choices about how to live her life. She tried to be brave, she tried to be kind, she tried to be steadfast in her loves and loyalties … yet she was living at a time of terrible fear and tension, where the cost of bravery was torture and death, not only for herself but also for the ones she loved. Would I have been able to be as brave? I hope so … and yet I wonder. I am just an ordinary woman too, and it takes such courage to stand up for what you believe is right. 

Did you face any particular challenges whilst writing this book? 

The whole creative process was a challenge! The research was enormous, and horribly upsetting. I had to stare into Hitler’s face, both literally and metaphorically, day after day, week after week, month after month. I had to find some way to make my story believable (it is, after all, a fairy tale retelling!) I wanted to show something of the dreadful reality of living in Berlin during those tumultuous years. I also wanted to do my best to honour those brave souls who stood up to Hitler and paid the price for it.  

It is impossible not to study Hitler and the Holocaust without suffering some kind of existential crisis. I had to think about the very nature of evil, and what is the right way to fight against it. 

I suffered unspeakable nightmares and inexplicable anxieties the whole time I was writing the book. It made me fear for the world we live in, and wish that I could be a better person – braver, stronger, more outspoken. I am trying now to be that person, but it is hard to know sometimes what is the best thing to do. 

How much research did you undertake prior to writing it?

A great deal! Dozens and dozens of novels, non-fiction books, diaries, memoirs, poems, and documentaries. It took months.

Thanks to social media we get to follow you on some of your research travels, which is incredibly interesting for those intrigued by historical fiction research. Do you have an idea of the story before researching, or does the idea stem from the research?

Thank you so much! I’m glad you love following my strange and wild adventures.

Essentially, before I start writing a novel, I do as much reading and research as I can, so I am deeply immersed in the time and the place of the story. I plan my narrative arc carefully, and lay out as much of the skeleton of the plot as I can.

I began with a strong sense of the story I want to tell, but the process of research throws up many more ideas, and previous ideas may change and grow.

I do not start writing the novel until I have a strong feeling for my characters. Their voices, their inner lives, and, of course, the world in which they live. 

Writing the novel then presents me with many new and unexpected questions, and I return to my research books again and again, and usually realise that I need to do more.

I do not usually go on a research trip until the first rough draft of the novel is written. By then, I know what I need to discover and where I need to go. Also, by that time, I have been inhabiting the skin of my characters for a long time, and so everywhere I go will be experienced through their eyes, their ears, their soul. I cannot always control the timing of my research trips, though, as I build them around other commitments such as teaching and touring. 

For the first time ever this year, I went on a research trip for a book that I was only just beginning. This means I will need to go again next year. It is, however, a very complex and challenging novel, and so I think I will need the extra time.

Have you ever uncovered something when researching that you surprised you, something you didn't expect to find? 

Of course! All the time. That is one of the primary purposes of the research.

When writing a Historical Fantasy like Bitter Greens (2014), that spans time and continents, interweaves them with real life and fictional characters, then adds the irregularity of magic (I’m tired just thinking of it all!) - How do you keep everything from tangling, when there are so many elements intersecting and interacting at different points? When reading them, it’s easy to imagine you plotting over a huge corkboard with pins, and strings in knots! 

I record all my ideas and inspirations in a notebook, which then travels everywhere I go. I stick in maps, diagrams, photographs, copies of paintings and poems and quotes, sketches and doodles and lists of things to do, character outlines, chapter breakdowns, timelines, research notes, books to buy and books to read. The timelines and plotting plans slowly grow and develop, and I constantly type them up as they evolve, and stick them in the notebook again. Planning is everything in a book as complex as Bitter Greens, but luckily I love the planning process. 

You have written many different titles across genres ranging from fantasy through to historical fiction and children’s books. How do you think you have grown as a writer since your debut Dragonclaw was first published in 1997?

 It’s hard for me to tell! I don’t read my novels again after they are published, and I wrote Dragonclaw so long ago. I was 30 when it was published, and next year I will be 50, and I have lived a rich and full life in the meantime, so of course my writing must have changed as I have.

However, I think all of my books are woven with threads of suspense and romance and history and magic. It’s just that some are more suspenseful or romantic or magical than others, according to the story’s need. I always say that the story demands its own shape. By that, I mean that the story tells me what it needs to be, and all I do is listen and try to do my best by the story as it is shown to me. 

Is there a process involved when deciding what genre/audience age to write for next?

It mostly has to do with what story has grabbed hold of my imagination and won’t let go. I have been contracted for books that I very much wanted to write, but then have had a new and brilliant idea electrify my imagination, and been compelled to sit down and try and give it life. 

I have many more ideas than I could ever write, though, and sometimes I need to think about my husband and my children, and their needs. For example, I badly wanted to write Bitter Greens, my retelling of ‘Rapunzel’, for a very long time. However, I knew it would be a very difficult and time-consuming book, and so I waited until my youngest child had started school. That meant I could write full-time for the first time. Similarly, my son has been doing his final school exams this year, and so I’m having a much quieter year, and not touring the world! 

When world-building for your Fantasy novels, are you a Gardener or An Architect?

I’m both, of course. And neither. I really dislike this kind of simplistic approach to the creative process. Each book develops differently, and throws up new challenges and offers new rewards. I think planning is a very important part of the process, but I also believe passionately in the importance of intuition, spontaneity, and surprise. Each new book is a new emotional and psychological journey for me, and calls on a whole range of different creative tools. 

What is your take on the state of Australian speculative fiction? 

I think it’s wonderfully diverse and fresh, and has a strong sense of community and camaraderie. I love the work of so many Australian writers, and am very glad I can call so many of them friends.

In your opinion, what do we need more of?

Readers! 

What has been the best thing a fan has ever said to you in regards to your work?

I am so blessed in the love and support of my readers, and get so many wonderful, heart-warming and uplifting letters and emails and artworks. I actually print the loveliest ones out, and stick them in my diary, so that whenever I’m feeling a little low, I can read them again and remind myself that there are many people who love what I do. 

The best messages are always the ones that say, essentially, ‘your books helped save my life.’ 

It’s always a humbling and sobering experience, and reminds me to always take what I do seriously. Art must have serious intent.

Hypothetical question… if you could become a character in another fantasy writers universe who would it be and why? 

I’d want to be Lucy in The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe!

Obligatory Top 5 Fantasy Reads?

(If you don’t mind, I’m going to answer this in two parts.)

1) The 5 Fantasy Reads That Shaped Me (not counting children’s books)

J.R.R. Tolkien, Lord of the Rings 

Terry Brooks, The Sword of Shannara

Mary Stewart, The Crystal Cave 

Marion Zimmer Bradley, The Mists of Avalon

Tad Williams, Memory, Sorrow, Thorn

2) My favourite Australian Fantasy Reads

Garth Nix, Sabriel

Juliet Marillier, Daughter of the Forest

Lian Hearn, Across the Nightingale Floor

Alison Croggon, The Riddle

Kim Wilkins, Daughters of the Storm

Obligatory Top 5 Historical Fiction Reads?

1) The 5 Historical Novels that Shaped me (not counting children’s books)

Isabel Allende, The House of Spirits

Tracy Chevalier, Girl with a Pearl Earring

Sarah Dunant, The Birth of Venus

Philippa Gregory, The Other Boleyn Girl

Susan Vreeland, Girl in Hyacinth Blue

2) My favourite Australian Fantasy Reads

Jesse Blackadder, The Raven’s Heart

Geraldine Brooks, Year of Wonders

Kate Morton, The Forgotten Garden

Kim Wilkins, The Angel of Ruin

Marcus Zusak, The Book Thief

Everyone needs to know – Are you an e-booker or dead tree collector?

I prefer p-books, because of their beauty, and also because I like to read in the bath. I also find my eyes are tired after a long day in front of the computer, and printed books are more soothing to tired eyes. 

However, I read a lot on my i-pad as well, particularly when I’m travelling. And I love the instant gratification of getting a book as soon as I want it!

I also buy a lot of old books, particularly if they are signed by the author! 

What authors/genres/books are you reading at the moment?

In the past week or so I have read:

Jane Yolen, Snow in Summer (YA fairytale retelling)

Anne Gracie, The Spring Bride (Regency romance)

Angus Donald, Outlaw (historical fiction)

Michael Morpugo, Kaspar, King of Cats (illustrated children’s book)

Martin Walker, Children of War (contemporary crime)

Jan Marsh, Christina Rossetti: A Writer’s Life, (literary biography)

So you can see I have a very eclectic reading diet!

Complete the following sentences – 

Fantasy and Historical Fiction rocks because… they open our eyes to other ways of living and thinking.

If I were Empress of the Earth I would… make sure every child had enough to eat and enough to read.

Vegemite flavoured chocolate is… a terrible waste of chocolate.

I am taking Kristy on my next (all expenses paid) research trip to… Let’s make it France and Italy, shall we? Got your passport?

What’s next for you? 

I am working on a new novel about the painting of the famous ‘Briar Rose’ series of paintings by the Pre-Raphaelite artist Edward Burne-Jones. 

Can we expect to see you at any events or conventions over the next few months? 

My son is beginning his final school exams in a matter of weeks, and so I am keeping a very low profile till he is finished. I am at the Jewish Literary Festival in Sydney on 30 August, at the ASA National Congress in Sydney on 11 September, and I might be coming up to GenreCon in Brisbane in late October (the week my son’s exams finish!) Then I’ll be at Supanova in Adelaide on 21 & 22 November. That’s it! Hopefully I can gets lots of writing done. 

And finally, best advice for any aspiring authors out there?

I think the best advice I can give anyone is to have courage, and to keep the faith in yourself and your story. Writing is a very challenging occupation, for so many reasons, and the only way to triumph is to never let yourself believe the dark voices in your head. Be brave, stay strong, and never give up!

Kate Forsyth, thank you for talking to Smash Dragons and Book Frivolity!

The Beast's Garden is available for purchase at all good online and bricks and mortar retailers. Be sure to check out Booktopia for a signed copy (if they haven't already sold out mind you) of it! Also, Random House has recently released new jacketed versions (see photo above for Dragonclaw cover) of Kate's wonderful Witches of Eileanan series. We recommend you purchase these books immediately! Finally, be sure to check out Kristy's Book Frivolity webpage here. She is an amazing reviewer, and a passionate supporter of all things historical and speculative fiction.  

Until next time people, be nice to each other, and keep on reading!