As I was poking about the internets this morning I came across this post that is chock-full of suggestions for good feminist science fiction / fantasy / speculative fiction. There are a number of authors mentioned in the comments that I haven’t checked out yet but they certainly sound interesting.
Ive heard of maybe 6 of the authors listed in the comments, and Ive never read any of them. How many are mentioned because they champion a feminist ideology and how many are just good writers?
Thanks for this link! I’ve read a few of these and more of them are on my “to read” list, but there’s a bunch of names and titles here that are unfamiliar to me.
Also, I would like to say that the audiobook versions of Octavia Butler’s “Kindred” and Margaret Atwood’s “Oryx and Crake” are awesome.
Havent’ heard of any of them
I just glanced at the comments for that link as I’m always looking for a new book to read and I have to majorly second the suggestion of Ammonite by Nicola Griffith. I think it is a great commentary on gender and how much of an influence society really on how women are perceived and how little difference there really is between the genders. It makes me think of how I always imagined the Amazon’s might have structured their civilization and as a fan of Mass Effect I see many themes and ideas that remind me of the Asari (so much so that I wonder if Drew K and the rest of ME writers have read this book).
I’ve read Octavia E. Butler’s Lillith’s Brood and was very impressed. As a long time sci-fi reader, it was obvious that this was written by a woman and came from a very different place - but it was also damn good science fiction. I still think about some of the concepts she explores, such as the idea that cancer is a potentially beneficial attribute if it could be harnessed and controlled. Weird to hear, but handled in a fascinating way in the story.
I’d also forward one of my favorite authors in this category as well - Caitlin R. Kiernan. Many of her characters are transgendered, gay, or both and the protagonists tend to be strong women. She also publishes a monthly eZine of “Weird Erotica” (Sirenia Digest) that would certainly not be considered male-centric.
I’ll have to check out some of her work once I finish my current fantasy reading list since I can’t ever find enough fantasy/sci-fi books with lgbt characters for my taste. I recently read the YA retelling of Cinderella with a lesbian twist called Ash, which I really enjoyed.
You can start where I did, Silk. Or, if you’re more into personal horror and suspense, her latest book is very good - The Red Tree. Or, if you prefer more action and supernatural ass-kicking, then I can highly recommend Daughter of Hounds. Finally, if you’d prefer sci-fi instead of contemporary supernatural, then I highly recommend her collection of short stories, A is for Alien.
I got to meet her once, briefly, at a book reading / signing event in Boston. She’s moved up from the south to live in Rhode Island, so I think it may be easier for her to do NYC / Boston book signings then it used to be.
Thanks, I’ll look into them once I finish my current pile of books.
A friend of mine swears by Caitlin R. Kiernan, and has informed me that her novels are up on Audible. So I think I’ve found what I’ll be listening to once I’m done with the Vorkosigan Saga and Dresden Files!