Fantasy: Another Boys Club?

As you can see, I am a feminist. You would think I love writers like Sheri S. Tepper and Melanie Rawn, but they are my third problem. Yes, I want strong women. Yes, I want worlds were women are equal or even in control. That pleases me. But I do not want to be preached at. Having a theme is good. Repeatedly hitting the reader over the head with a lead pipe is very bad. I am pleased that there are more female fantasy writers today than in the past, but I want them to tell me a good story not push their political agenda on me with such force that it leaves a feeling of distaste in my head. I’m for the same causes they are for and I don’t like them. I can’t even imagine what people who disagree with them think of their books. If a writer wants to send a political message I hope the writer can do it with style and finesse. Political messages should be subtlety woven into a good story, not the other way around. What’s even worse is when a male tries to be PC and blunders the whole thing. Rober t Jordan has said he bases his women on real women from his life. I truly feel sorry for the man if that is true. He has created a bunch of idiots and then expects to be praised for his enlightened views? Try harder, Mr. Jordan, because you are just clueless. I guess I can forgive him though, since his males are just as poorly drawn as his females.

There is a wealth of female readers out there just waiting for a good read. The fantasy publishers need to get their acts together and start using more female friendly marketing skills. The authors need to realize that females don’t need to sit on the sidelines and cheer for their knight. Fantasy is just that, fantasy. Break out of the mold and give us a medieval world were women are not property. Or if the women are property show us a women with a quiet strength that overcomes the prejudice of her world. And for the love of all that is right, please don’t be so obvious it that even I throw up my hands in disgust.

So how did the teenaged girl who wouldn’t even walk near the fantasy section end up as a major fantasy fan? Know Mara of the Acoma? If not, read Daughter of the Empire. My best friend, that geeky boy, made me read this book and I discovered a fantasy book could have a woman worth reading about. It took years to find another book with a decent female, but I kept at it because I really do love imaginary worlds and now fantasy is almost the only genre I read. I still hate to go to the fantasy section at bookstores though. The geeky teenage boys stare when they see a grown woman in their territory.

Carrie Badorek

High school English teacher and webmaster of the Fantasy Freaks Forum, a friendly little community that loves discussing, life, fantasy, and just about anything else.