[Mezla PigDog]

I'm not entirely sure where I'm going with this, or what my question is going to be.

I think that a lot of fantasy readers feel that they have a book inside them (that's my experience of the two of us I really know anyway ). However, as a female, I have never read a female fantasy author. Reading this forum, I often hear that they focus too often on the romance aspect of the story. I understand that ladies can often be more interested in that aspect, but I wouldn't read SE if I didn't like a good bit of action.

So, I suppose I'm asking for your thoughts on what you think female fantasy authors add that their male counterparts do not. And which of the things they add are beneficial and which are not. Recommendations are good, so long as they're backed up with a bit of male/female debate. I'm not looking to start a whole feminist crusade or anything, I'm just curious as I have a synopsis and wonder if it's coloured by my gender.

Male and female answers are encouraged. I just require information, not that anything is likely to come of it :confused:

Cheers, Mez

[Obdigore]

Melanie Rawn.

She is a good author, but not SE's level. She does focus a little too much on how each character feels all the time, however she is the best female author I have ever read. (Except maybe J. V. Jones, but I have not read much of her work.)

What she adds...people act a little different in her books... most of the men aren't the barrel-chested heros as they often are in other books. Other than that, I really don't know, although she is certainly no worse than anyone except SE and Modesitt.

[Illuyankas]

I read a Maggie Furey book once.

They don't let me have knives anymore.

EDIT: I'm sure you don't want this to turn into a "women suck lolz" thread, but I really can't remember reading another fantasy book written by a woman - I've read awesome novels by female authors in other genres, but not in fantasy, sorry.

[Onos]

I used to just buy fantasy books that looked interesting or even just pick up anything i hadnt read before. I realized a whole lot of them werent very good. I finally made the connection that i didnt like ANY of the female fantasy authors. (i dont even consider female authors anymore when buying books) That said there are a lot of bad male fantasy authors out there, but there are also some that i love. I think i read fantasy to just escape for a bit and have a cool world i can ponder the mechanics or and that have lots of interesting things going on in them as well as being a world 'full' of beings. (not largely empty wilderness) The women authors i have found write a modern day type book just put it to a fantasy backdrop. So if i wanted to read an issues book or a romance etc... i would just stick with reading 'fiction' vs fantasy. I have trouble putting my finger on it, but women fantasy world's just dont seem right. I have a harder time getting really into their created worlds.

This is totally a guess now but perhaps it has to do with the female writer's backgrouds before they go to fantasy that allows then to create an original believable world? Example SEs anthro background helped him create a world with rich history.

As someone above pointed out, women can be great authors in other genres, just havent found one i even liked in fantasy.

[Mezla PigDog]

Well, cheers for the swift replies already!

@Illy ()- I don't mind if the thread ends up bitching about female authors, I haven't read any, I don't know how bad they might (or might not) be. I have no loyalities. So long as answers are backed up with arguement, then I can take something from them. If they're all that bad, there is obviously a niche that I (in my personal, unbridled genius) can exploit, and thus become insanely rich. I just need the correct formula *evil glint in the eye*

[Obdigore]

umm... im not bashing on female authors... I have not read another author of any sex that stand's to SE's work... and I think Melanie Rawn is better than most of the useless drivel out there....

[Mezla PigDog]

Oops, that was meant to be an "@ Illy", not you I shall edit, forthwith.

[Red_orbiT]

Mary Gentle is ok I guess. But not good enough for a re-read. And I've always ended up unsatisfied/dissapointed by her books.

[RodeoRanch]

I like Robin Hobb's stuff.

She's a she....right?

[Aneirin]

I think it would be a mistake both to not read books because the authors are female or read them only because they are.

Most of the female authors I've read (not a huge number, but still) have been very worthwhile. Robin Hobb, CS Friedman and Patricia A McKillip particularly stand out. The former two you wouldn't guess are female (Hobb's excellent characterisation of the minor female characters might have given it away, if her characterisation of the males was not so very good as well). McKillip (though I've only read three of her books thus far, and recently) is perhaps more romantic, or rather Romantic, as more a general world view than something expressed in passionate relationships between protagonists. In that though she's not unlike say Guy Gavriel Kay, so it's not really a female-author thing.

I do think that male and female authors can see and feel some things differently and will write accordingly different characters and books... but I don't think the difference is so very big, or that it can be summed up as 'more romance'. Not at all. I'd seriously suggest checking out at least Robin Hobb's Farseer and Liveship books as two of the best fantasy series in their own right, or CS Friedman's Coldfire trilogy for something especially stereotype-shattering (and also very good).

On reflection, I should say that that’s for the good authors. I suppose that for the poorer authors where a man might fall into hack and slash a female might tend more towards mushy romance. But while that might make the stereotype, it doesn’t make the rule.

[Hume]

K J Bishop ?

[ChrisW]

hrm most of my favourite authors are female. Hobb,Rawn,Jones,Flewelling,Carey,McCaffrey(back in the day),Elliott.

Not sure I've noticed any difference between them and male authors. I certainly don't think they focus on romance any more than there male counterparts or perhaps I don't notice due to liking a little romance and that's why I like female authors more?

[ChrisW]

I must be in touch with my feminine side:)

[tickhill43]

No-ones mentioned Ursula LeGuin, one of my favourate authors.

[Valgard]

I'll second Tanith Lee she is great wierd buit a really good read.

Hobb is good.

Mary Gentle is great in my view I have always enjoyed her works and would recommend her.

[Tattooed Hand]

I like Jacqueline Carey, Sarah Micklem, and Robin McKinley. I don't know if the reason I like them is because they are women, or because they have an individual style I like. I think that's too hard for me to pin down.

I read Robin McKinely's books, The Blue Sword and The Hero and the Crown when I was young and it was good to have a female protagonist who ran around and did stuff and kicked ass. I also liked Lloyd Alexander's Westmark series for the same reason, although the main protagonist was not a woman, but women were among the cast of major characters. The same could be said of McKinley's Robin Hood. Maid Marion is not some passive colorless female sitting around in a tower, waiting to be rescued. This is important for me and all too often it is easy for male authors to create lame stereotypical females that are passive or sex objects and this is often view as "natural."

Maybe that's why I like Erikson, his female characters push beyond lame stereotypes and are varied and interesting.

[Raymond Luxury Yacht]

David Eddings' wife turned his work from entertaining to the young and a decent intro to fantasy into something completely unreadable. Not that this reflects on all women writers, but this seemed a relevant place to mention it.

[zeeny]

Jacqueline Carey is well above average, male & female fantasy authors included.
Hobb doesn't do it for me, but I can't say a bad thing about her so she's another decent one I guess.
Also, I'm gonna get banned for that, but I liked the "Shadow of the Lion" By Eric Flint and.....

Spoiler

Mercedes Lackey......**zeeny ducks and runs for cover...

. Now, I read this so long ago I can't even recall the plot, but there was something there. Keeping that in mind, I'd rather read the Yellow pages than another book from her....