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catherineldfThis week's links inspired by Gail Carriger's piece on Steampunk and Fierce Females in Fiction (incl. Sorcery and Cecilia - huzzah!). The following are a list of some of my favorite female characters in spec fic. It is totally biased and far from exhaustive. And might be fairly different if I did the same post next month. But check out the links in any case since you may find some excellent reading possibilities.
Jaime in P.C. Hodgell's God Stalker Chronicles. Complicated, powerful, identifiable. And the world-building is stunning.
Cordelia in Lois McMaster Bujold's Vorkosigan Saga, particularly Cordelia's Honor. I wish there were more books about Cordelia.
Anna in Tenea D. Johnson's Smoketown. An artist, this time, not a warrior. And one doing art in an interesting post-apocalyptic, diverse world.
Trouble in Melissa Scott's Trouble and Her Friends. A cyberpunk lesbian hacker with an actual community!
Alexia Tarabotti in Gail Carriger's Parasol Protectorate series. Honestly, because she's such a (mostly) loveable jerk.
Flora Segunda in Ysabeau Wilce's Flora Segunda (though not, alas, in the subsequent books of the series). Really unusual spin on a YA protagonist.
Elinor in Delia Sherman's Through a Brazen Mirror. Intriguing and highly memorable queer retelling of the ballad The Famous Flower of Serving Men.
Nerissa in Pamela Dean's Liavek stories. A character that came along at exactly the right time in my life.
Loup Garron in Jacqueline Carey's Saints Astray series. A boxer, a lover and, possibly, a werewolf.
Diana Comet in Sandra McDonald's Diana Comet and Other Improbable Stories. A utterly splendid transwoman in a fantastical, if not always magical world.
Who are some of your favorites?
Jaime in P.C. Hodgell's God Stalker Chronicles. Complicated, powerful, identifiable. And the world-building is stunning.
Cordelia in Lois McMaster Bujold's Vorkosigan Saga, particularly Cordelia's Honor. I wish there were more books about Cordelia.
Anna in Tenea D. Johnson's Smoketown. An artist, this time, not a warrior. And one doing art in an interesting post-apocalyptic, diverse world.
Trouble in Melissa Scott's Trouble and Her Friends. A cyberpunk lesbian hacker with an actual community!
Alexia Tarabotti in Gail Carriger's Parasol Protectorate series. Honestly, because she's such a (mostly) loveable jerk.
Flora Segunda in Ysabeau Wilce's Flora Segunda (though not, alas, in the subsequent books of the series). Really unusual spin on a YA protagonist.
Elinor in Delia Sherman's Through a Brazen Mirror. Intriguing and highly memorable queer retelling of the ballad The Famous Flower of Serving Men.
Nerissa in Pamela Dean's Liavek stories. A character that came along at exactly the right time in my life.
Loup Garron in Jacqueline Carey's Saints Astray series. A boxer, a lover and, possibly, a werewolf.
Diana Comet in Sandra McDonald's Diana Comet and Other Improbable Stories. A utterly splendid transwoman in a fantastical, if not always magical world.
Who are some of your favorites?