They might not be raindrops on roses or whiskers on kittens, but that doesn’t mean that we love them any less. Welcome back to My Favorite Things, the weekly column where we grab someone in speculative circles to gab about the greatest in geek. This week, we sit down with Susan and Clay Griffith, who write the historial fantasy series Vampire Empire and Crown & Key, as well as media tie-ins in the DC Universe!
What do Susan and Clay love when they’re not writing historical fantasy or superhero fiction? Spoiler alert: stories new and old, fiction and comics and games to pull you in and keep you entertained. Intrigued? Read on to learn more about each of their faves!
The Sixth World Series by Rebecca Roanhorse
Susan: I fell in love with The Sixth World series right before my trip to Arizona. It was urban fantasy but from the viewpoint of the Native American culture which is a refreshing change from the standard spin. It focuses on monster slayer Maggie Hoskie and healer Kai as they face a new breed of monsters, all the while getting guided, tricked, and attacked by the immortals of Diné mythology like clever Coyote and the vain Mósí, a cat goddess. All the characters from the mains to the smallest were given such life that I loved them all, even when I shouldn’t have, because they were fascinating and fresh.
Here climate change has drastically altered the world. The heart of America is buried under the Big Water and the Dinétah, the traditional homeland of the Navajo tribe, is isolated by a series of magical walls that roughly surround parts of what had been New Mexico, Colorado, Utah, and Arizona. Usually I focus mainly on the characters, and don’t get it wrong, Maggie and Kai hit all of my buttons, but the world drew me in as well, from the gods themselves to the Navajo homeland and its residents. That’s a novel feat for me who always is so character focused.
I wait patiently for every Rebecca Roanhorse novel, and trust me, she’s worth the wait.
Mystery Science Theater 3000
Clay: Yes, this is an old tv show. Well, sort of. It was revived on Netflix recently and still tours with live shows and does occasional online shows too. But my part in this column (and apparently in our marriage) is that I hang onto old enthusiasms while Susan seeks out new material. To me, MST3K doesn’t feel old because I’ve never stopped watching it since I discovered it back in 1990. Now in a blinding collision of old and new media, I’ve recently discovered that Twitch has a MST3K channel! Mystery Science Theater is my comfort show. Me, watching Twitch! For me, over and above the jokes, MST3K shines for its “hey kids, let’s put on a show” sensibility. It has a backyard style and the charming presence of an old-school kiddie show, if old-style kiddie shows mixed in gags about Mrs. Butterworth and Allen Ginsberg. I find the knowing innocence of the show endlessly appealing.
As to the age-old MST3K debate: Joel or Mike? I’m a Joel guy. I like Mike. If I had to make a Top 10 episode list, at least 3 would be Mikes. But the Joel years have more of that wacky innocence that I most appreciate about the show. The most recent iteration with Jonah as the host is a distant third to Joel and Mike. I think it is overproduced, which diminishes the chief charm of the franchise. It feels more like a post-MST3K project like the other efforts from show creators or alums such as Rifftrax or Cinematic Titanic (all of which I watch and enjoy too).
The Sharing Knife Series by Lois McMaster Bujold
Susan: While Bujold is mainly known for her work with the Vorkosigan Series, I found her through the Sharing Knife books. A quiet, unassuming story, the perfect blend of romance and adventure that reminded me that pacing didn’t need to be set at a frenetic speed to be enjoyed. It could build slowly and be more character-focused so you meander your way gently through the plot points. Bujold slowly, lovingly discloses her secrets and avoids dumping all the details. You always have something to look forward to or are suddenly surprised along the way at a sudden revelation.
The novels revolve around a young farmer girl named Fawn and a mysterious older Lakewalker named Dar. Farmers and Lakewalkers don’t get along because it’s rumored that Lakewalkers are cannibals since they use the bones of their ancestors to fight monsters. When Dar saves Fawn from a malice, a terrible underground creature that can only be killed with Lakewalker blades, they form a bond that resonates through all the books. Together they try to bridge the gap between their two cultures, all the while fighting prejudices and monsters. That story takes four books to tell and I loved being along for the ride, because I fell in love with the characters, their desire to change and stand up against convention, and find out if they could find peace.
Silver Age Comics
Clay: I’m a comic book guy. Susan is too. We met because of comic books. We used to write comic books. I love them. I love writing them. And I still love reading them. I keep up with industry news and haunt my local comic store looking for new reads. However, no matter how hard I look for something to grab my comic-loving inner kid and shake him, nothing can match the stuff I read when I actually was a comic-loving kid. I’m still drawn to the storytelling skills of writers like Lee, Wolfman, Stern, or Claremont and artists like Kirby, Buscema, Aparo, or Colan. Plus you can buy big fat chunks of storylines in trade paperback, although I really do miss the feel and smell of the old newsprint comic book. There is great creativity in modern comics, but I urge fans to explore the history of your fandom, understand your context, and try to appreciate what came before, even if it uses the medium in a different or old-fashioned way. Also, these comics are the sources for the stories you’ve loved in the Marvel movies and the DC movies and television shows. They can be enjoyed as source material or as original greatness. For me, as I’ve grown older, I relish rediscovering the solace, kindness, and wisdom in a John Romita Spider-Man or Curt Swan Superman.
Red Dead Redemption 2
Susan: I’ll admit it. I wasn’t too keen on playing this game. First off, it was from the makers of Grand Theft Auto, which wasn’t my cup of tea with all the crimes and shoot outs and other notoriously manly actions. Then I was disappointed that you only had one avatar to choose from and it was a man named Arthur Morgan. An outlaw. I thought, great, I guess this will be just like GTA and you rob and pillage your way across the Old West. But I played it anyway, because, well, it was a western, and I have a thing for them. Not even a quarter of the way in and suddenly I was in love. From the world to its inhabitants to the quests, it was stunning in a way I hadn’t expected. It was story driven and even better, it was character driven. Arthur Morgan has a good soul. He is trying to be better. He cares about people. And most of all, he loves his horse. Be still my heart. Arthur’s dry wit and obvious curiosity is such a delight. From the crazy photographer risking life and limb to get a great picture of the indigenous predatory wildlife. To the small troupe of performers that ask Arthur to return their escaped circus animals. To the two brothers trying to outdo the other with crazy feats to impress the girl they both love. To teaching the widow in the mountains to survive by teaching her to hunt and shoot. Every small act by Arthur melted my heart. This has become my favorite game of all time. I spent a lot of time with Arthur and by the end of the game I was shouting, weeping, and loving the story, the characters, the world, and my little mustang that I tamed in the wild.
Clay: I’ve been playing RDR2 too. I’ve never been a big gamer (a few years of World of Warcraft being my biggest stint), but I was amazed by the script and acting in RDR2. The visuals are stunning. The landscape is beautiful. And the pacing is unique. You can run everywhere if you want, but the default is walking. The game purposefully limits the ability to instantly move from point-to-point. It forces you to exist in the world, to ride through the countryside in the rain and snow and fog, to look at the rivers and mountains and prairies that Arthur mourns the passing of, and live in the frontier towns and Victorian cities that Arthur disdains. I gave in to the pacing. The game makes me want to mosey, and that’s a good thing.
Susan and Clay Griffith met at a bookstore thanks to Uncanny X-Men #201. They eventually married because they share a passion for adventure stories featuring heroes who fall in love and save the day.
Susan and Clay are best known for their historical fantasy fiction. They are the creators of the genre-blending alternate history series Vampire Empire. They also wrote the Crown & Key trilogy set in that world of Victorian magic and monsters. Most recently, they are the authors of the media tie-in novels The Flash: The Haunting of Barry Allen and Arrow: A Generation of Vipers.
After years writing together, Susan and Clay remain happily married, and they still have that copy of Uncanny X-Men #201.
Author Photo by Vivian Cronin
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