What originally got you interested in writing speculative fiction? I got to ask Cho about her work and profound perspective on science fiction. Then I read all of her Zen Cho's short stories available online and borrowed two anthologies that included one of her stories. I got my hands on an advanced review copy of Sorcerer and devoured all 371 pages within two days. Instead, Cho weaves a tale of magic, mystery, and romance without whitewashing the realities of nineteenth century England. But, while racism and patriarchy underline many characters' motives and actions, they aren't the book's central themes.
The group is scandalized when a freed slave becomes their Sorcerer Royal. The book asks questions about race, marriage, and gender as it explores a story among London's Royal Society of Unnatural Philosophers. Her debut novel Sorcerer to the Crowncomes out next month and combines elements of fantasy, sorcery, and social justice. London-based Malaysian author Zen Cho is proof of this. Speculative and science fiction aren't the exclusive domain of white, male writers. Much of the irony here is that a diversity of voices are what makes science fiction great. As the Hugo Awards ceremony approaches this weekend, some writers are boycotting the awards.
This year, the awards were hijacked by a group of conservative white male sci-fi fans who decided to rig the award nomination process so that, in their words, books by “(insert underrepresented minority or victim group here)” wouldn't be on the ballot. Since 2008, the number of Hugo Award nominees sunk from 80 percent to 40 percent, with top honors going to writers like Mary Robinette Kowal, Ann Leckie, and Kaja and Phil Foglio. The Hugo Awards, which are handed out this month, are one of the biggest prizes for sci-fi. And a bunch of white dudes aren't happy about it. The culture of sci-fi and fantasy has shifted. Photo of Zen Cho © 2015 Darren Johnson / IDJ Photography
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