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Dark Muse
07-06-2011, 11:49 PM
Considering that it seems the majority of fantasy books are at least loosely based upon Medieval Europe in setting, social structures, government, etc. it seems that many of these books also uphold what would be traditional gender roles for such a time period.

While it is true that there are women characters who may be very powerful in various ways, generally speaking the strength of women in such books must come from their use of magic.

But considering that works of fantasy are meant to bend reality and suspend belief, it would seem that as well that traditional gender roles could also be called into question and altered.

I am curious if anyone can recommend any good works of fantasy which feature women as actual warriors, women are do display physical prowess. I know that The Wheel of Time series includes a particular race of people that do have some very deadly women warriors, but these are sub-chars.

Are there any books in which the main heroine is a warrior gifted and skilled in the arts of martial combat.
JBI
07-07-2011, 12:15 AM
Read the anthology Chicks in Chainmail.
Dark Muse
07-07-2011, 12:18 AM
Read the anthology Chicks in Chainmail.

LOL I am a bit frightened by the name but I will look it up
hallaig
07-07-2011, 05:56 AM
Good Scottish writer here.


http://www.janetpaisley.com/warrior_daughter
Dark Muse
07-07-2011, 11:54 AM
Good Scottish writer here.


http://www.janetpaisley.com/warrior_daughter

Oh that looks really interesting. I love Celtic Lore
mal4mac
07-09-2011, 12:27 PM
Left Hand of Darkness by Ursula K. Le Guin play with the notion of 'male heroism', it has warriors who are sometimes(!) female...
Chris 73
07-09-2011, 03:25 PM
A Song Of Ice And Fire by George RR Martin features a few. Particularly Briene "The Beauty" as she is derisively reffered to.
Dark Muse
07-09-2011, 03:37 PM
A Song Of Ice And Fire by George RR Martin features a few. Particularly Briene "The Beauty" as she is derisively reffered to.

Reading A Game of Thrones is what made me think of this. As the character of Arya has the potential to develop into a warrior I thought. But I also noticed how she is looked down upon for this and called savage, wild, strong willed, and expected to act like a proper "lady"

So I wondered if there were any books in which women warriors were accepted, respected and viewed as the norm.
Babyguile
07-11-2011, 02:18 PM
Why? Do you have adolescent fantasies to grow out of?
Dark Muse
07-11-2011, 02:34 PM
Why? Do you have adolescent fantasies to grow out of?

Oh I have no intention of growing out of them! :ciappa:
KiraTrikk
07-13-2011, 02:59 PM
Well... You could read Tamora Pierce's novels. Specifically the 'The Song of The Lioness' and 'Protector of the Small' series'.
Aaaaaaand, oh let me see here... Mercedes Lackey writes some good ones, the Arrow's books and the Winds books. Arrow's Flight, Arrow's Fall, etc and Winds of Change, etc...
There are heaps!
OrphanPip
07-13-2011, 03:16 PM
Margaret Weiss does it all the time, whether you can stomach her novels is something else. Be ready for the purest form of commercial junk food fantasy lit.
Dark Muse
07-13-2011, 03:59 PM
Well... You could read Tamora Pierce's novels. Specifically the 'The Song of The Lioness' and 'Protector of the Small' series'.
Aaaaaaand, oh let me see here... Mercedes Lackey writes some good ones, the Arrow's books and the Winds books. Arrow's Flight, Arrow's Fall, etc and Winds of Change, etc...
There are heaps!

I have some of Lackey's books I just have not got around to reading them yet. Perhaps I should bump them up on my list.
KiraTrikk
07-13-2011, 04:05 PM
I highly recommend that you do.
I've reread them almost 10 times I enjoyed them so much.
I'll remember more books that have female heroines at some point I'm sure :)
sunflower33
08-13-2011, 01:05 PM
Two fantasy novels along these lines that I'd recommend are The Deed of Paksenarrion by Elizabeth Moon, and Lois Bujold's Paladin of Souls, which is a sequel to the Curse of Chalion. Moon's book is very gritty because she knows soldiering. Bujold's book has a lot depth of character. Both are filled with interesting, strong women.
TheFifthElement
08-13-2011, 01:14 PM
The Deverry series by Katherine Kerr (Daggerspell, Darkspell, Dawnspell, Dragonspell) has a strong, warrior-like female character as its lead. I think she is also magical, I can't quite remember. You might like those. I remember enjoying them.