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“The swirling surf had covered his death, hidden deep in murky darkness his miserable end, as hell opened to receive him.” – Beowulf (Anon)
One of the science fiction and fantasy titles that caught our eye this month was Sharon Emmerich’s Shield Maiden, a feminist reimagining of the famous Old English epic poem Beowulf, this time told from the perspective of a fierce young woman reclaiming her power .
The poem and legend has been inspiring authors and artists for centuries. The original Beowulf poem is a heroic epic legend set in the 6th century in pagan Scandinavia. Its creation date is a matter of fierce debate amongst scholars. What is known is that the oldest manuscript, known as the The Nowell Codex, (now housed in the British Library ) dates between 975 and 1025, and for many centuries the poem was handed down primarily, not through text, but through the oral tradition of storytelling.
In brief, the legend tells of three battles. In the first battle, Beowulf battles Grendel, a troll-like monster. In the second, Beowulf and his men track Grendel’s mother to her lair under a lake where, after a fierce battle, Beowulf eventually decapitates her. And finally, many years later when Beowulf is king, a golden cup is stolen from the underground lair which leads in turn to Beowulf’s final battle with a dragon. The three battles are directly connected and interlocked in many ways and the poem is a vast richly nuanced tapestry of events, characters and detail that has filled whole libraries of scholarly works.
The poem continues to to be an inspiration for numerous books, films, plays, translations and adaptations. One of the most famous translations of recent times is the Seamus Heaney translation simply called Beowulf: A New Verse Translation ( highly recommended ). It’s fabulous to see another author take on this epic work and join their illustrious ranks.
Shield Maiden / Emmerichs, Sharon
“Having grown up hearing tales of her uncle, the great King Beowulf, Frida’s one desire is to become a shield maiden in her own right. Yet a terrible childhood accident has left Fryda disabled – thus, she believes, thwarting her dream of becoming a warrior-woman for good. But still, somewhow, she feels an uncontrollable power begin to rise within herself. Meanwhile, a great celebration of Beuwulf’s reign is underway, and Fryda’s house is soon overrun with foreign kings and chieftains. Amidst the drunken revelry, a discovery is made that threatens the safety of Fryda’s entire clan – and her own life…” (Adapted from Catalogue)
Pulling the wings off angels / Parker, K. J
“Long ago, a wealthy man stole an angel and hid her in a chapel, where she remains imprisoned to this day. That’s the legend, anyway. A clerical student who’s racked up gambling debts to a local gangster is given an ultimatum—deliver the angel his grandfather kidnapped, or forfeit various body parts in payment. And so begins a whirlwind theological paradox—with the student at its center—in which the stakes are the necessity of God, the existence of destiny—and the nature of angels.” (Adapted from Catalogue)
Wormhole / Brooke, Keith
“A ship is sent to Mu Arae, earth-like planet discovered 10 years before. But only a few years into the trip, catastrophe strikes and the ship blows up en route, killing all aboard. 2190, eighty years after the starship set out. Gordon Kemp a detective working in the cold case department in London. He has been assigned a murder investigation closed, unsolved, over eighty years ago what befell the ship 80 years ago and why is the past and the present are radically different to what everyone on Earth believes. We made the journey. Why has it been kept a secret?.” (Adapted from Catalogue)
The terraformers / Newitz, Annalee
“Destry’s life is dedicated to terraforming Sask-E. As part of the Environmental Rescue Team, she cares for the planet and its burgeoning eco-systems as her parents and their parents did before her. But the bright, clean future they’re building comes under threat when Destry discovers a city full of people that shouldn’t exist, hidden inside a massive volcano. As she uncovers more about their past, Destry begins to question the mission she’s devoted her life to, and must make a choice that will reverberate through Sask-E’s future for generations to come.” (Adapted from Catalogue)
VenCo : a novel / Dimaline, Cherie
” Myrna works for VenCo, a front company fueled by vast resources of dark money. Lucky is familiar with the magic of her indigenous ancestors, but she has no idea that a spoon links her to VenCo’s network of witches throughout North America. Generations of witches have been waiting for centuries for the seven spoons to come together, igniting a new era, and restoring women to their rightful power. But as reckoning approaches, a very powerful adversary is stalking their every move. ” (Adapted from Catalogue)
Africa risen : a new era of speculative fiction
“From award-winning editorial team Sheree Renée Thomas, Oghenechovwe Donald Ekpeki, and Zelda Knight comes an anthology of thirty-two original stories showcasing the breadth of fantasy and science fiction from Africa and the African Diaspora. A group of cabinet ministers query a supercomputer containing the minds of the country’s ancestors. A child robot on a dying planet uncovers signs of fragile new life. A descendent of a rain goddess inherits her grandmother’s ability to change her appearance–and perhaps the world. Created in the legacy of the seminal, award-winning anthology series Dark Matter, Africa Risen celebrates the vibrancy, diversity, and reach of African and Afro-Diasporic SFF and reaffirms that Africa is not rising–it’s already here.” (Adapted from Catalogue)
The daughters of Izdihar / Elsbai, Hadeer
“In a novel set wholly in a new world, but inspired by modern Egyptian history, two young women–Nehal, a spoiled aristocrat used to getting what she wants, and Giorgina, a poor bookshop worker used to having nothing–find they have far more in common, particularly in their struggle for the rights of women and their ability to fight for it with forbidden elemental magic.” (Adapted from Catalogue)
The citadel of forgotten myths / Moorcock, Michael
“Elric and his constant companion Moonglum return in this new stand alone novel set within the early days of Elric’s wanderings. They ride again to investigate the history of their empire, Melnibone, and its dragons, known as the Phoorn, in this exciting new addition to the Elric Saga from World Fantasy Lifetime Achievement Award winner Michael Moorcock. The estranged emperor of the Melnibonean empire, Elric is struggling with his nature and the constant thirst of his soul-sucking sword, Stormbringer. He wants his dying empire to thrive, but is he up to the task of renewing his failing people? ” (Adapted from Catalogue)