[jbcohen]

It seems to me that Women do not read many fantasy novels. Women appear to be more interested in the Daniel Steel type of novels then the fantasy novels. Although there is crossover books that have a large fantasy aspect to them yet have elves and dragons running around in the middle of some human love story. Do you feel that there is some sort of sexist nature to fantasy novels? Why do fantasy novels appear to appeal to men only? Am I totally off base? What can be done to achieve more of a balance?

[Brandoch Daha]

There is quite a number of women on this forum, and most fantasy fans I know are female, so I think it's not much of a problem. Most guys I know don't read anything at all, it's more often the girls who read the most, but maybe that's just where I come from:)

[Warewolf]

My wife reads fantasy...

[Cadfael]

Danielle STEEL!!!!

Do you have a deathwish brother :D

I know loads of women who read fantasy and SF, in fact my wife is an avid reader of fantasy.... and most of her friends are.

[Rob B]

Originally posted by jbcohen
Am I totally off base?
Not totally off base, but not really near the base either. I'd say you're caught in a run-down between 1st and 2nd base.

[wolfshead]

When i first discovered fantasy, I took some flack from female classmates for not reading the crappy pappy stuff they were into. I didn't know many girls who were into fantasy...they all hated the battles and stuff. however, in recent years i have discovered loads of women my age and older into the genre, including some people I would have NEVER imagined would be fantasy fans.

[Sammie]

I'm gonna venture a theory here (and bear in mind that this is a complete generalisation, and i am sure there will be exceptions)

I think women tend to be happy to read a much wider range of novels than men. For example - how many men read Romance, or family-sagas-in-which-not-a-lot-happens. Men want action and adventure more than women do, maybe. This doesn't mean women don't enjoy the same - we certainly do :) - but women are happy to read something else instead.

This means (runs my theory) that women are less likely to discover the fantasy genre in the first place, as they are less likely to be being bored witless by everything else on the shelves.

A man's opinion or two might be welcome here :).

Also - as far as sci fi goes, even in this day and age i know plenty of women who just shy away from the idea that they might be going to read something 'technical'.

[Crysania]

When I first started reading fantasy when i was 11, I was the only femail I knew who did so for YEARS. It wasn't until I discovered the internet and started going to message boards that I discovered fellow women fantasy freaks. Also in college I had a few friends who loved Tolkien but that was as far into fantasy as they ventured. It seems to me recently there are more female readers than EVER before.

Still, even within the genre, I find myself thinking things like 'guy fantasy' and 'high fantasy - which I deem unisex) Feist, to me, is a total guy's guy. I can't stand the way he writes women, period. I just can't access his stuff - and I actually liked the first two books in the Riftwar... but, all and all, I think he defines 'guy fantasy' to me.

I think Jordan has done a lot to bring women readers in. Although there's a backlash now, and I concur, that he doesn't know how to write women -- I still think he did a lot to bring in a female audience to fantasy in the mid-90s.

My opinion....

[Shanoncia]

It's sad, where I come from not many women OR men read fantasy. But I think it's fair to say not many women read fantasy. And that can be a very scientific thing... if you break down the sexes men in general are definitely the stronger sex. It's in their blood to be aggressive, forward, strong and it's definately in their blood to want power. So isn't fantasy a great way for men to fulfill these desires, and be who they are through a loved character(s) outside of todays boring boxed in world? Women on the other hand are meant by nature to be the nuturers. Women in general are more emotional, and softer, and like pleasent things. They don't need power. They just need I place to call home, where they can live in peace. So they really wouldn't take after the wanderlust of a warrior in great fantasy tales would they? Some of the things I'm saying are pretty basic, I know! And of course I am only making generalizations.... there is acceptions to every rule! I can use myself as an example! I am a woman through and through, but I will never tire of this lust and passion for danger, adventure, intrigue, power and new worlds. :)

[Quaisior]

I know many women who read fantasy novels. In fact, I read somewhere and can't remember now where it was, that there are more women fantasy readers than men now. I know a lot of women though who avoid science fiction, but they read fantasy. And just look at all of the women fantasy writers now! When I first started reading fantasy about 15 years ago, there weren't all that many. I think since The Wheel of Time became popular, the fantasy genre has become a lot more popular, so there are many new authors getting published.

Danielle Steel? Ew, my mom reads her books and I tried them when I was younger and they are so formulaic and the characters are cardboard. Of course, some fantasy can be described the same way. ;)