# Fantasy Books with a Female Lead **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [April 26, 2014, 7:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fantasy-books-with-a-female-lead/687031 "2014-04-26T07:30:33Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Omniscient](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/omniscient/32/3290_2.png) [@Omniscient](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omniscient)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2014, 7:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fantasy-books-with-a-female-lead/687031/1 "2014-04-26T07:30:33Z")
I’ve had great success in the past getting [book recommendations](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=368311) from this crew, so I figure I’ll try again. But, this time it’s not for me. My girlfriend is seeking a new book to read on a trip we have planned and mentioned that she’d like to find something in the fantasy genre. A few comments about her tastes: she can be picky when it comes to books and doesn’t have the patience for a really slow starting story, she prefers strong female characters, ideally leads, but ensembles are okay too, and she’d like something with adult themes. She’s not a fantasy junkie and wouldn’t be considered a purist of any kind. Feel free to use a broad definition of fantasy. She casually mentioned that she’d like something with dragons and princesses, I’m imagining a grittier, more complex version of the Disney princess stories in novel form. I’m guessing that must exist out there somewhere. I know a couple of her favorite books are _Nicholas and Alexandra_ and _The Other Boleyn Girl_ and a few of the other books by Phillipa Gregory, not sure how much that helps. Also, no _Twilight_, _Harry Potter_ or _Hunger Games_. ---
**Author:** ![Bozuit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/edb3f5/32.png) [@Bozuit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bozuit)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2014, 7:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fantasy-books-with-a-female-lead/687031/2 "2014-04-26T07:56:29Z")
It might be kind of obvious, but I’d always recommend His Dark Materials if she hasn’t read those books already. The most prominent character, especially in the first book, is a young girl. ---
**Author:** ![Becky2844](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/91b2a8/32.png) [@Becky2844](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Becky2844)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2014, 8:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fantasy-books-with-a-female-lead/687031/3 "2014-04-26T08:25:58Z")
Look up Marion Zimmer Bradley, writer & editor, who is totally into what you just described. ---
**Author:** ![ryan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/a8b319/32.png) [@ryan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ryan)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2014, 9:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fantasy-books-with-a-female-lead/687031/4 "2014-04-26T09:28:24Z")
I’d recommend [Kelly Armstrong](http://www.kelleyarmstrong.com/books/) and [Kim Harrison](http://kimharrison.net/) ---
**Author:** ![Aspidistra](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aspidistra/32/3894_2.png) [@Aspidistra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aspidistra)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2014, 10:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fantasy-books-with-a-female-lead/687031/5 "2014-04-26T10:08:35Z")
I’m very fond of Katherine Kerr’s _Daggerspell_ series, which has a kickass female lead, and is one of the more historically literate fantasy series’ out there. And if she gets into it, it could keep her occupied a good long time. Has dragons (eventually) Lois Mc Master Bujold _Curse of Chalion/Paladin of Souls_ - the second book has a female lead, both have good strong female characters, and Bujold just rocks generally. Gillian Bradshaw’s _In Winter’s Shadow_ - the King Arthur story from Guenivere’s point of view. Third of a trilogy, but the first two are more child/youth oriented. ---
**Author:** ![Giles](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/giles/32/60_2.png) [@Giles](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Giles)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2014, 10:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fantasy-books-with-a-female-lead/687031/6 "2014-04-26T10:32:49Z")
If you’re happy to go Japanese (in English translation), [The Twelve Kingdoms](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Twelve_Kingdoms) (十二国記) has a strong female character – a Japanese high school student, who becomes king of one of those twelve kingdoms. ---
**Author:** ![nicole1912](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/9de0a6/32.png) [@nicole1912](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nicole1912)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2014, 10:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fantasy-books-with-a-female-lead/687031/7 "2014-04-26T10:34:21Z")
Elizabeth Moon’s Paksenarrion series might be worth looking into; it’s got a strong female main character who becomes a soldier. (I think the earlier books were better than the latter ones, but there are some follow-up books if your girlfriend decides she likes the story.) Jacqueline Carey’s Kushiel series is epic fantasy written from the point of view of the female main character - it’s got some relatively graphic sexual content, though, so if that’s a concern, it might be best to avoid that particular trilogy. ---
**Author:** ![WhyNot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c77e96/32.png) [@WhyNot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WhyNot)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2014, 10:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fantasy-books-with-a-female-lead/687031/8 "2014-04-26T10:45:20Z")
> [@Aspidistra](#): > > I’m very fond of Katherine Kerr’s _Daggerspell_ series, which has a kickass female lead, and is one of the more historically literate fantasy series’ out there. And if she gets into it, it could keep her occupied a good long time. Has dragons (eventually) Yes, this. Also anything by Robin McKinley (she’s done quite a few reimagined fairytales, and done them well) and Mercedes Lackey. Sharon Shinn is another good one, although she doesn’t have a massive library behind her yet like Lackey and McKinley. Give her time. ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2014, 11:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fantasy-books-with-a-female-lead/687031/9 "2014-04-26T11:11:17Z")
Long before Disney’s _Frozen_, Joan Vinge won a Hugo for her **The Snow Queen**. It had three sequels. ---
**Author:** ![QuizCustodet](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/7ba0ec/32.png) [@QuizCustodet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/QuizCustodet)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2014, 11:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fantasy-books-with-a-female-lead/687031/10 "2014-04-26T11:23:05Z")
Three suggestions from me. On the other suggestions, I’d strongly echo the recommendation for Katherine Kerr! I also really enjoyed the _Deed of Paksenarrion_, but for me a lot of the joy of it was seeing how she’d interpreted classic D&D rules into a ‘real’ fantasy world, so I’m not sure whether someone who wasn’t familiar with pen and paper RPGs would like it as much. First, I really enjoyed [Tooth and Claw](http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/344623.Tooth_and_Claw) by Jo Walton. It’s a bit of a cross-over novel: the author describes it as Trollope with dragons, but I think it’s more like Jane Austen. Definitely with dragons, though! Ensemble cast of siblings includes one strong female lead and there are several strong supporting female characters throughout. But in my view the canonical answer to this has to be _Empire Trilogy_, a collaboration between Raymond Feist and Janny Wurts. It’s a really interesting look at what being a woman in a man’s (fantasy) world would mean. It’s definitely fantasy, but more of the politics and intrigue style than swords and sorcery. The first book is [Daughter of the Empire](http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/589979.Daughter_of_the_Empire) You might also want to check out [Un Lun Dun](http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/68496.Un_Lun_Dun) by China Mieville (teenage female lead) and early Anne McCaffrey, particularly [Dragonflight](http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/61975.Dragonflight) or [Dragonsong](http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/28541.Dragonsong). The two Anne McCaffrey’s are technically science fiction rather than fantasy, but that only becomes properly apparent later in the series. ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2014, 11:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fantasy-books-with-a-female-lead/687031/11 "2014-04-26T11:26:17Z")
It’s not from a major press, but Justine Graykin’s **Archimedes Nesselrode** fits. The (male) title character isn’t the protagonist. ---
**Author:** ![TonySinclair](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/49beb7/32.png) [@TonySinclair](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TonySinclair)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2014, 11:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fantasy-books-with-a-female-lead/687031/12 "2014-04-26T11:28:12Z")
> [@Aspidistra](#): > > Lois Mc Master Bujold _Curse of Chalion/Paladin of Souls_ - the second book has a female lead, both have good strong female characters, and Bujold just rocks generally. Seconded. And don’t forget _The Spirit Ring_, another Bujold fantasy with a female lead. Although it’s one of her earliest books, I think it’s among her best. ---
**Author:** ![John\_DiFool](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_difool/32/19543_2.png) [@John\_DiFool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_DiFool)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2014, 12:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fantasy-books-with-a-female-lead/687031/13 "2014-04-26T12:19:24Z")
IMNSHO, the Morgaine series by CJ Cherryh still holds up very well. Airy fairy aspects are at a minimum. 1st book in the series is _Gate of Ivrel_. ---
**Author:** ![Hello\_Again](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/85e7bf/32.png) [@Hello\_Again](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hello_Again)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2014, 12:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fantasy-books-with-a-female-lead/687031/14 "2014-04-26T12:34:00Z")
[Daughter of the Forest](http://www.amazon.com/Daughter-Forest-Sevenwaters-Trilogy-Book/dp/0765343436) by Juliet Marillier. there are sequels as well. I also liked “The Spirit Ring” and “Tooth and Claw” but nooooooooo to Anne McCaffrey. Doesn’t age well. ---
**Author:** ![Baker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bb73d2/32.png) [@Baker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baker)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2014, 1:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fantasy-books-with-a-female-lead/687031/15 "2014-04-26T13:10:28Z")
Maureen Birnbaum, Barbarian Swordsperson > **[Maureen Birnbaum, Barbarian Swordsperson](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maureen_Birnbaum,_Barbarian_Swordsperson)** > > Maureen Birnbaum, Barbarian Swordsperson is a 1993 anthology by George Alec Effinger, collecting all of his stories (up to 1993) about Maureen "Muffy" Birnbaum, a Jewish-American princess who is magically teleported to various fantasy and science fiction universes, and later recounts the tales to her best friend, "Bitsy" Spiegelman. Originally written on his own initiative, the character proved popular enough for Effinger to gain several requests from authors to have versions of their work visite... ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2014, 2:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fantasy-books-with-a-female-lead/687031/16 "2014-04-26T14:07:41Z")
Don’t ignore the classics – Catherine L. Moore’s _Jirey or Joirel_ stories feature a female warrior. Robert E. Howard, too, wrote a couple of femasle swordswoman stories that aren’t bad\* \*Not Red Sonya, though. Although he did have a brief appearance by a woman of that name in one of his stories, there’s not much to it, and it was set in something like the 17th century. The Conan-era Red Sonya is a creation of Marvel Comics and Roy Thomas. As originally drawn by Barry (Windsor)-Smith, she wore a chain mail shirt, shorts, and boots, which actually makes sense as a lightweight, maneuverable costume. In the hands of other artists, though, her wardrobe changed to a highly impractical bikini-like thing that appeared to be made out of silver dollars, and she seemed to have acquired breast implants. When Frank Thorne drew her, she also seemed to be wearing eye makeup and lipstick. She looked a lot less probable, but she probably sold more comics that way. ---
**Author:** ![Erdosain](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/erdosain/32/7284_2.png) [@Erdosain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Erdosain)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2014, 2:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fantasy-books-with-a-female-lead/687031/17 "2014-04-26T14:18:33Z")
[The Hundred Thousand Kingdom](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Hundred_Thousand_Kingdoms)s by N.K. Jemisin. ---
**Author:** ![Teuton](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/teuton/32/3864_2.png) [@Teuton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Teuton)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2014, 2:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fantasy-books-with-a-female-lead/687031/18 "2014-04-26T14:55:15Z")
I’ve been enjoying the [Chronicles of Elantra](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michelle_Sagara#Chronicles_of_Elantra) series by Michelle Sagara. Also, a number of Terry Pratchett’s books feature strong female leads - the Witches books spring most immediately to mind. The first of those is Equal Rites. ---
**Author:** ![Wendell\_Wagner](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/8491ac/32.png) [@Wendell\_Wagner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wendell_Wagner)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2014, 3:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fantasy-books-with-a-female-lead/687031/19 "2014-04-26T15:32:35Z")
Cal Meacham writes: \> . . . Catherine L. Moore’s Jirey or Joirel stories . . . I was going to mention these stories, since I just finished reading them. Let me just point out that the name of the character is Jirel of Joiry and that the name of the author as it appears on the title page of her books is C. L. Moore. They are available in various places: > **[Jirel of Joiry](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jirel_of_Joiry)** > > Jirel of Joiry is a fictional character created by American writer C. L. Moore, who appeared in a series of sword and sorcery stories published first in the pulp horror/fantasy magazine Weird Tales. Jirel is the proud, tough, arrogant and beautiful ruler of her own domain — apparently somewhere in medieval France. Her adventures continually involve her in dangerous brushes with the supernatural. > These stories are among the first to show the influence of Robert E. Howard on sword and sorcery; th... [http://www.isfdb.org/cgi-bin/ea.cgi?453](http://www.isfdb.org/cgi-bin/ea.cgi?453) ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2014, 3:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fantasy-books-with-a-female-lead/687031/20 "2014-04-26T15:50:22Z")
Justine Graykin, by the way, is a member of Broad Universe, the consortium of female authors who promote female authors in SF and fantasy. I’m sure plenty of their works fit the OP’s bill. Here’s their website: [http://broaduniverse.org/](http://broaduniverse.org/) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fantasy-books-with-a-female-lead/687031.md?page=2)