Fafnir – Nordic Journal of Science Fiction and Fantasy Research 2/2016
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Aino-Kaisa Koistinen, Jyrki Korpua & Hanna-Riikka Roine:
Editorial 2/2016
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Curtis Carbonell:
Schismatrix and the Posthuman: Hyper-embodied Representation
Abstract: This paper argues that the “posthuman” is a dominant trope for SF, providing a justification for trans-and-posthumanist SF as inherently fantastic. To do so, it reads Bruce Sterling’s Schismatrix stories as offering trans-and-posthuman representations definitive for twenty-first century SF, ones in which embodiment and materiality are prized over disembodied forms. Ultimately, these foundational stories represent posthumans within the context of the modern fantastic, an impulse in modern studies that foregrounds the increasingly imaginary elements defining contemporary, Western culture.
Keywords: Science Fiction, Posthumanism, Transhumanism, Fantasy Studies, Schismatrix, Bruce Sterling.
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Sami A. Khan:
Goddess Sita Mutates Indian Mythology into Science Fiction:
How Three Stories from Breaking the Bow Reinterpret the Ramayana
Abstract: This article studies three distinct Science Fictional reinterpretations of (goddess) Sita – wife of Lord Rama – in Breaking the Bow, an anthology of (Speculative Fiction) stories inspired by the classical Indian epic Ramayana. These varied manifestations of Sita bear testimony to how Indian SF in English – while reworking gender and refracting mythology – science fictionalizes mythological being(s) to order to indict the ancient text(s) and the prevalent gender skewedness both. This article deliberates on the intersection of mythology, technology and gender in Indian SF, and decodes how these new avatars of Sita are geared primarily towards critiquingmisogyny, patriarchy and gender discrimination while using the vehicle of SF.
Keywords: Indian Science Fiction in English, Novum, Breaking the Bow, Ramayana, Darko Suvin, Mythology and Science Fiction, Sita’s Descent, Test of Fire, Regressions.
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Lee Raye:
”Blue skies, green grass”: Is The Redemption of Althalus a reliable biological record?
Abstract: This paper investigates whether high fantasy worlds can be naturalistic. After a brief introductory analysis of the Lonely Mountain in The Hobbit, discussion turns to The Redemption of Althalus by David and Leigh Eddings. References were collected to flora and fauna from the secondary world of the novel. These references were tested as a collection in terms of: (i) whether they have internal coherence (i.e. verisimilitude) and (ii) whether the observations are likely to be based on primary world experience. The study found that, in general, the species actually observed by characters in the text passed both these tests. Species used only for figurative reference (i.e. not actually observed by any character) failed these tests. The biology of Althalus’ secondary world is predominantly based on the primary world western forested mountain ecoregion of the United States, where Eddings & Eddings lived.
Keywords: Ecocriticism, digital humanities, naturalistic, Eddings, Althalus.
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Saradindu Bhattacharya:
Magical Technology in Contemporary Fantasy
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Susanne Ylönen:
Lectio praecursoria:
Lastenkulttuurisen kauhun maastoa kartoittamassa
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Kati Kanto:
Kirja-arvio: Susanne Ylönen – Tappeleva rapuhirviö: kauhun estetiikka lastenkulttuurissa
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Sanna Lehtonen:
Report for Fafnir: “The rise of the nerd/geek culture – the sixth national conference of fandom studies” (“Nörttikulttuurin nousu – Kuudes valtakunnallinen fandom-tutkimuksen konferenssi”) 3.–4 March 2016, University of Jyväskylä, Finland
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Call for Papers: Fafnir 4/2016:
SPECULATIVE FICTION IN COMICS AND GRAPHIC NOVELS
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