Marve and the Firstborn of the Sun: Mining Your Culture for New Fantasy Ideas

An exciting new voice has arrived in the epic fantasy genre. In this episode of Mythmakers, Julia Golding is joined by author Marvellous Michael Anson—known as Marve—to discuss her trilogy, The Firstborn of the Sun.

Marve shares how her Nigerian heritage has shaped her writing, the role of her grandmother as the source of oral storytelling, and how to handle romance without heading down the romantasy direction. Join Julia and Marve as they dive into the topic of diversity in publishing, as well as the impact of AI, and so much more.

Marve's book is available for purchase from October 2025, you can preorder it now and learn more about her and her works at https://www.justmarve.org/home

(00:05) Creating New Mythologies in Fantasy
(10:48) Exploring Love and Cultural Roots
(15:35) Diversifying Voices in Fantasy Publishing
(21:24) Cultural Authenticity in Creative Storytelling
(30:34) Character Descriptions and Cultural Representation
(37:58) Exploring Magic and Creativity in Fantasy

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Welcome to Season 7 of Mythmakers!

Mythmakers is the podcast for fantasy fans and creatives brought to you by the Oxford Centre for Fantasy. We will be exploring fantasy old and new, look at what went into writing your favourite series, learn tips from the experts, and discuss new books, TV shows and films.

Mythmakers is brought to you from the city of Oxford - home to many of the world's greatest fantasy writers, from J.R.R. Tolkien and Middle-earth, to C.S. Lewis, creator of Narnia, and the grandfather of them all, Lewis Carroll with his Alice's Adventures in Wonderland. The Oxford story continues with outstanding contemporary writers finding inspiration among the ancient buildings, labyrinthine libraries, and gentle river meadows.

Ready to jump down the rabbit hole with us to find your next mythmaker? Visit https://oxfordcentreforfantasy.org/