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Lauren Magaziner is the author of the new upper middle grade novel The Incorruptibles, the first in a new series. Her other books include the Case Closed series. She lives in Philadelphia.
Q: What inspired you to write The Incorruptibles, and how did you create your character Fiora?
A: Imagine you’re a kid, and people tell you, “You’re the most magical, special, and powerful person around.” Now imagine people say that for years. Decades, even. How do you stay grounded? How do you not believe your own hype?
So I started to write about a world in which sorcerers did believe in their own superiority! In The Incorruptibles, sorcerers truly think themselves better than people without magic; they have massive, inflated egos and use their power to oppress.
I knew I needed a main character to stand in sharp opposition to the sorcerers. Fiora has a deep-seated hatred for sorcerers after they killed her parents. She’s fierce and determined. She has a ridiculously strong moral compass. Throwing her into a resistance movement just felt natural.
But as Fiora starts to develop nuance in her worldview, she gets to explore what exactly it means to stand up for what’s right—and how to best follow her conscience.
Q: The author Jonathan Stroud called the book a “timeless and timely epic of fellowship and self-discovery in the face of overwhelming odds.” What do you think of that description?
A: So flattered and honored, especially since Jonathan Stroud has been my favorite author since I first discovered his books at age 14. His blurb came in when I was about to board a plane, and I got misty in the airport. But I think it’s a brilliant way to describe the book—Jonathan Stroud summed it up so succinctly and so perfectly!
Q: Can you say more about how you came up with the idea for the world in which the story takes place?
A: I thought deeply about what entitled, narcissistic people would do if they had unlimited power and could do anything. And the answer, to me, was that they’d establish control.
So, in The Incorruptibles, the sorcerers take over towns and cities. The more powerful the sorcerer, the bigger the city they conquer. It’s a world where sorcerers rule the roost—where unfettered power goes unchecked.
Q: How was the novel’s title chosen, and what does it signify for you?
A: The title of the novel is the name of the resistance group that the book centers. I figured out their name in the middle of drafting the book. I was writing so much about sorcerers who choose to corrupt their own bodies and souls to get their hands on power—who then act in corrupt ways.
If sorcerers are corruptible, it made sense that the resistance group would be called Incorruptibles. (During different points in the writing process, I called the resistance group the Chasers, the Breakers, the Bulwarks—and a slew of other ideas that weren’t nearly as evocative as the Incorruptibles!).
To me, the word “incorruptible” signifies strength, courage, and upstanding morals.
Q: What are you working on now?
A: I’m working on The Incorruptibles 2 at the moment, and it’s an electrifying leg of the story. All the lovable characters and awesome tech from book one… but with tension dialed up to maximum levels. Book two contains considerable danger, breakneck pacing, and jaw-dropping plot twists. I can’t wait to share!
Q: Anything else we should know?
A: Even though The Incorruptibles is aimed at readers ages 10-14, I think it’s a super fun read for older readers too. The story has lots of inclusive representation, ambitious character arcs, a boarding school that feels a bit more like a brawler’s bootcamp, worldbuilding that’s vast yet detailed, and an exciting magic vs. tech undercurrent (if you like your fantasy a little science-fictiony).
If this sounds like your cup of tea, I hope you enjoy your time at Inc Academy!
--Interview with Deborah Kalb
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