On Oppression and its Misrepresentation in Fantasy Fiction

Magneto hovering

The character Magneto from X-Men

I’ve been thinking about how magic is often represented in fantasy.

I’ve written previously about how many SFF stories (poorly) represent post-racial societies. My issue with magic is a close cousin to that topic.

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On the Misrepresentation of Post-Racism in SFF Shows

Charles Pike, a character from season 3 of the sci-fi show The 100.

Science fiction and fantasy are my favourite genres of movies and TV series.

This is largely because they are the genres of ideas on what another version of the world could—and in some cases should—look like.

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How Do You Write a Book?

I’m always taken aback when a non-writer is impressed by the act of writing a novel.

In last week’s post, I wrote about my passion for writing and how, in reality, my devotion to it presents as rather obsessive and possibly a little pathetic.

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3 Times Wonder Woman Made Me Wonder “What the Hell?” (pt. 2)

(Continued from Part 1)

Last week, I started writing about the things I disliked about the movie Wonder Woman.

This particular post was a follow-up to one about the things I did like about the movie.

Overall, I did enjoy the movie.  However, no movie is perfect and no form of media exists outside of the societal context in which it’s created.

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3 Reasons Wonder Woman was a Wonderful Movie

I’ve never much liked superheroes.

With the exception of a brief fondness for Superman in my childhood – and this more on account of his being Christopher Reeve rather than “super” – I’ve cared little for any superhero’s exploits.

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Thoughts on Completing My Novel’s Second Draft

Thirty-one chapters rewritten and accounted for

It took an entire year.

In not even counting the two months where I purposely did no writing at all, it took an entire year to write the second draft of my historical fiction novel-in-progress, which amounted to a complete rewrite of my first draft.

It took longer to write than the first draft itself, which I completed in 10 months back in in 2005.

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Replaying Xena: Season 6 – A Backslide, Yet Still Ahead of Its Time

A reporter determined to get the scoop on Xena

A reporter determined to get the scoop on Xena

In time, all good things come to an end.

In a way, I could have said this at the end of the season 5 of Xena Warrior Princess, which itself wasn’t as strong as seasons past, in my opinion.

By season 6, much of what previously made the show great – Xena and Gabrielle wandering Greece and interacting with various gods and mythological figures – fell by the wayside.

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Replaying Xena: Season 5 – The Prophecy of the Twilight

Xena receives some unexpected news

Xena receives some unexpected news

In the second last season of Xena Warrior Princess, we have come to the climax of the overall arc of the story.

Up to this point, Xena has gone from being a former bloodthirsty warrior, newly repentant and wracked with self-loathing, to a devoted friend and fighter for good and justice, to a self-assured paladin following the righteous spiritual path known as the Way of the Warrior.

Meanwhile, Xena’s best friend and sidekick, Gabrielle, has gone from a plucky, idealistic peasant girl, to an unwitting Amazon princess and novice fighter, to an adherent of the nonviolent spiritual path known as the Way of Love, to an eventual apostate of that path in favour of becoming a warrior – no longer a sidekick – in her own right.

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