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The fabulous Ken Scholes (Lamentation and the forthcoming Canticle) and I will be doing several reading/signing appearances together in late October/early November. Also, we'll be co-blogging on Borders Books Babel Clash blog from Sept 15 - 28 (yikes).
Anyway, having one brain to rub together between us, we're trying to get some of the material written in advance (what a concept), and one thing we're going to touch on is the presence of female characters in epic fantasy, or the lack thereof.
I haven't read as widely as I ought. So my question to you is: what epic fantasy novels have you read in the last, oh, several decades that had either/or well drawn female protagonists or (perhaps more importantly to me personally) a variety of female characters in either major or secondary roles reflecting the actual presence of women in, you know, the world. Bonus points for books written by men that pass the Bechdel (Liz Warren) Test.** (Amazing to think how many multivolume epic fantasies do not pass the Bechdel Test.)
Two series written by men that have multiple female major and/or secondary characters are Geroge RR Martin's Song of Ice and Fire and Steven Erikson's Malazon novels, so no need to mention them. Yes, I'm looking for examples of books written by women and by men.
**
The Bechdel Test (for films, and books, natch):
1. It has to have at least two women in it
2. Who talk to each other
3. About something besides a man
Anyway, having one brain to rub together between us, we're trying to get some of the material written in advance (what a concept), and one thing we're going to touch on is the presence of female characters in epic fantasy, or the lack thereof.
I haven't read as widely as I ought. So my question to you is: what epic fantasy novels have you read in the last, oh, several decades that had either/or well drawn female protagonists or (perhaps more importantly to me personally) a variety of female characters in either major or secondary roles reflecting the actual presence of women in, you know, the world. Bonus points for books written by men that pass the Bechdel (Liz Warren) Test.** (Amazing to think how many multivolume epic fantasies do not pass the Bechdel Test.)
Two series written by men that have multiple female major and/or secondary characters are Geroge RR Martin's Song of Ice and Fire and Steven Erikson's Malazon novels, so no need to mention them. Yes, I'm looking for examples of books written by women and by men.
**
The Bechdel Test (for films, and books, natch):
1. It has to have at least two women in it
2. Who talk to each other
3. About something besides a man
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