Maori mythology meets science fiction
‘‘There’s amove towards psychological horror, not just gore - and I think New Zealand has this sort of underlying current with that sort of gothic view and black humour.’’
Maori mythology and science fiction may not seem like an obvious mix, but one author has found it makes a winning combination.
Hutt-based author Lee Murray took out three awards at the recent Sir Julius Vogel Awards for Science Fiction, Fantasy and Horror. She nabbed Best Novel for Into the Mist, the first book in a trilogy set in Te Urewera National Park.
She also received awards for Services to Science Fiction and Fantasy for her work promoting Kiwi authors and Best Collected Work, an award she shares with co-editor Dan Rabarts for the collection of stories from New Zealand and Australian authors called At The Edge.
Murray has been scribbling since she was a child, but started writing seriously once her own children started school.
Her writing tends to lean towards darker material, a trend she’s seen reflected in other work from New Zealand authors.
‘‘At the awards, there was quite a lot of dark fiction.
‘‘I don’t mean that B-grade, spatter punk style. There’s a move towards psychological horror, not just gore - and I think New Zealand has this sort of underlying current with that sort of gothic view and black humour.’’
Her Sir Julius Vogel success isn’t her first time around the awards circuit either. Her three latest prizes bring her up to a total of nine from the annual science fiction and fantasy awards.
‘‘It’s always a real honour to get of one of these,’’ she said.
Murray defines herself as a Kiwi writer through and through but said she has a bigger following overseas.
‘‘What’s really interesting is New Zealand publishers are not necessarily interested but overseas ones are.’’
‘‘New Zealand is still seen as very exotic.’’
She was often the only Kiwi at overseas science fiction and fantasy conventions, which lead to people asking her about Lord of the Rings and exactly how to pronounce director Taika Waititi’s name.
She also found international audiences were interested in Maori mythology.
Into the Mist is set in the Urewera forest and incorporates the idea of taniwha into the tale.
However, writing about Maori legends meant striking a fine balance.
Murray said what may be a myth to one person is someone else’s religion and history.
‘‘We do have to be very careful about Maori mythology and I have had good advisors.’’
The Sir Julius Vogel Awards are named after Prime Minister Sir Julius Vogel.
In 1889, Vogel released Anno Domini 2000: A Woman’s Destiny. The book is often referred to as New Zealand’s first science fiction novel and is set in a future where women hold key positions of authority.