reading female authors 2015 -- which next?

[Contrarius]

I've decided to read/listen to books from at least 12 different female sff authors in 2015 (edit -- at least two books by each author when available, unless the first book really sucks). These may be old or new authors, and I may or may not have read books by them before. Obviously I'd like to concentrate on good books as opposed to bad ones. ;-)

I've started January and February with Carol Berg and Juliet Marillier. In March I'll be finishing up Berg's Bridge of D'Arnath series -- and then who?

I've come up with a few choices for March/April/May. If anyone has read these, let me know what you think -- or let me know if you have better ideas!

(for ratings and/or reviews of the read books, check Goodreads -- username Contrarius)


January
Juliet Marillier -- Daughter of the Forest

February
Carol Berg -- Son of Avonar
Carol Berg -- Guardians of the Keep
Carol Berg -- The Soul Weaver

March
Carol Berg -- Daughter of Ancients
Jennifer Roberson -- Sword-Dancer
Jennifer Roberson -- Sword-singer
Jennifer Roberson -- Sword-maker (curse you, Bacchus!)
Ann Leckie -- Ancillary Justice (2014 Hugo, Nebula, BSFA, Arthur C. Clarke, and Locus awards)
Patricia McKillip -- The Riddle-master of Hed
Patricia McKillip -- Heir of Sea and Fire
Patricia McKillip -- Harpist in the Wind
Connie Willis -- Blackout

April
Connie Willis -- All Clear
Elizabeth Bear -- Karen Memory
Ann Leckie -- Ancillary Sword
Elizabeth Bear -- Range of Ghosts
Carrie Vaughn -- Kitty and the Midnight Hour
Julian May -- The Many-Colored Land
Helene Wecker -- The Golem and the Jinni

May
Michelle Sagara (aka West) -- Cast in Shadow
Michelle Sagara (aka West) -- Cast in Courtlight
Kristine Kathryn Rusch -- The Disappeared
Elizabeth Moon -- The Speed of Dark

June
CJ Cherryh -- The Pride of Chanur

July
Emily St. John Mandel -- Station Eleven
Patricia Briggs -- Blood Bound
Patricia Briggs -- Iron Kissed
Patricia Briggs -- Bone Crossed
Juliet Marillier -- Dreamer's Pool
Jennifer Fallon -- Lion of Senet
Jennifer Fallon -- Eye of the Labyrinth

August
Jennifer Fallon -- Son of the Shadows
Naomi Novik -- His Majesty's Dragon
Naomi Novik -- The Throne of Jade
Robin Hobb -- Fool's Quest
Mary Doria Russell -- The Sparrow

September
Mary Doria Russell -- Children of God
Seanan McGuire/Mira Grant -- One Salt Sea
Seanan McGuire/Mira Grant -- Ashes of Honor
Julie Kagawa -- Talon -- dnf
Claire North/Catherine Webb -- The First Fifteen Lives of Henry August
NK Jemisin -- The Fifth Season
Claire North/Catherine Webb -- Touch

October
Robin McKinley -- The Hero and the Crown
Kate Wilhelm -- Where Late the Sweet Birds Sang
Nnedi Okorafor -- Who Fears Death -- dnf (temporarily)
Anne Bishop -- Daughter of the Blood -- dnf
Seanan McGuire -- Discount Armaggedon
Martha Wells -- The Serpent Sea
Martha Wells -- The Siren Depths

November
VE Schwab -- A Darker Shade of Magic
Sofia Samatar -- A Stranger in Olondria
Jo Walton -- Tooth and Claw

December
Tanya Huff -- Valor's Choice
Tanya Huff -- The Better Part of Valor
Kameron Hurley -- The Mirror Empire - dnf (temporarily)
Catherine Asaro -- Primary Inversion
Rob Thurman -- Nevermore
Mary Robinette Kowal -- Shades of Milk and Honey
Mary Robinette Kowal -- Glamour in Glass
Carol Berg -- Dust and Light


To Read
G. Willow Wilson -- Alif the Unseen (2013 WFA winner)
Margaret Atwod -- MaddAddam
Joan D Vinge -- The Snow Queen
G. Willow Wilson -- The Butterfly Mosque (out of genre, but it sounds interesting)
Nnedi Okorafor -- Lagoon
Kate Griffin/Catherine Webb -- A Madness of Angels
Kate Griffin/Catherine Webb -- The Midnight Mayor or Stray Souls

With all the other stuff I'm reading, those ought to keep me busy til May or thereabouts. Thanks, guys!

 

[Hobbit]

I know SFFWorld has some big Carol Berg fans out there. It'll be interesting to hear what you think of them.

I found the Marillier a little too lush for my own personal tastes, if I remember right: lots of 'feelings', but not a lot else happening. But it has been a while.

I do like Connie Willis though. You might want to read The Doomsday Book (great book, awful title!) if you haven't already, as it sets up Black Out/All Clear - some of the characters and situations overlap. They can be read separately but I found it great to link the two together. What happens in The Doomsday Book is briefly referenced in Black Out.

Review of Black Out here: http://www.sffworld.com/brevoff/646.html

Review of All Clear here: http://www.sffworld.com/brevoff/673.html

I look forward to reading what you think.

M.

 

[Heather Myst]

Here are my suggestions:

Jennifer Fallon Second Sons series
JV Jones Sword of Shadows series
Carol Berg Rai Kirah series
Fiona McIntosh Valisar series

 

[RedMage]

How about Elizabeth Bear's The Eternal Sky series, starting with Range of Ghosts?

Another I'd suggest is Jo Walton's Among Others.

Both women have other books out and Bear is especially prolific.

 

[Contrarius]

I know SFFWorld has some big Carol Berg fans out there. It'll be interesting to hear what you think of them.

I'm a huge Berg fan. I've already read all of her books except the end of this series. I'm nearly at the end of book 3 now, and I'll go straight to book 4 when I finish.

I'll admit that I often find annoying holes or unbelievable elements in her plots -- I think plot is her weakness. But I do love the atmosphere and voices she creates.

I found the Marillier a little too lush for my own personal tastes, if I remember right: lots of 'feelings', but not a lot else happening. But it has been a while.

I liked the writing, but I can see what you mean. She spent a lot of time pottering about instead of getting on with the plot. I don't think I'll read any more of hers for awhile, though like Berg I did appreciate her characters and the world she created.

I do like Connie Willis though. You might want to read The Doomsday Book

Been there, done that, got the T-shirt. Also To Say Nothing of the Dog.

I am a bit biased against this one, because I was incensed that she got to submit two separate books as one book for the awards. But nobody cared what I thought. LOL.

Thanks Mark!

 

[Contrarius]

Here are my suggestions:

Jennifer Fallon Second Sons series
JV Jones Sword of Shadows series
Carol Berg Rai Kirah series
Fiona McIntosh Valisar series

Oooooo. I had Fallon on the list due to someone else's rec, but I hadn't read the blurb til now. Sounds like it's got a bromance in it -- and I'm a big fan of bromances. I'll bump it up the list.

I didn't have the Jones. Thanks!

Read the Berg. Refer back to my comments about Berg and also my comments about bromance.

I didn't have the McIntosh either. Good suggestions, thanks!

 

[Contrarius]

How about Elizabeth Bear's The Eternal Sky series, starting with Range of Ghosts?

She's on the list, but with your rec I'll bump her up higher.

Another I'd suggest is Jo Walton's Among Others.

Read it, enjoyed it. I'm the same age as her MC, so I was very nostalgic about all the lit references -- I was reading all those books at the same age she did.

 

[Hobbit]

I am a bit biased against this one, because I was incensed that she got to submit two separate books as one book for the awards. But nobody cared what I thought. LOL.

Oh, I'd disagree with that one. I know that some people were VERY unhappy with that decision, although it was quite within the rules, etc etc. To be honest though, they are really just one book.

It was the same with all of the Wheel of Time books being eligible this year, as well. Made some people very unhappy.

I did get the chance to meet Connie at a publisher's party at LonCon in the Summer (gosh, how does that sound!): she was lovely. Mind you, so was Carrie Vaughn, whose Kitty books might be worth a try if you fancy some urban fantasy.

Still thinking 'older female authors'. Nobody's mentioned Robin Hobb yet, to my surprise. I really rate C J Cherryh's Morgaine books too, if you can get them. They are fantasy but there are slight SF touches which I liked. Morgaine travels medievalesque-worlds shutting down stargates. Sounds odd, but I really liked them. The characterisation is great.

M.

 

[Contrarius]

Mind you, so was Carrie Vaughn, whose Kitty books might be worth a try if you fancy some urban fantasy.

I should add her to the list. I read tons of UF, but I haven't checked her out yet.

Nobody's mentioned Robin Hobb yet, to my surprise.

I've read all the Fitz books, naturally. Haven't read the others. I'll read the next Fitz as soon as it comes out.

I really rate C J Cherryh's Morgaine books too, if you can get them.

I used to just devour Cherryh when I was a young whippersnapper. I even wrote a paper in high school about sapience and sentience in alien species (no, sapience and sentience aren't actually the same thing) that utilized some of her books. ;-)

I don't think I've ever read the Morgaine books, though. I'll check em out!

 

[Hobbit]

I don't think I've ever read the Morgaine books, though. I'll check em out!

This might help: http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk/c/c-j-cherryh/

It says that there's a new omnibus edition coming out later in the year there, too. Great news!

M.

 

[Corporal Blues]

I'll throw in my two cents...

Kate Elliott is definitely worth a mention. She has a few completed series out, (Crown of Stars, Crossroads, and Spiritwalker) of which I've only delved into CoS. I liked what I've read of it a lot and want to dig deeper into her catalog.

Also, I'm reading the first volume in Glenda Larke's Forsaken Lands series and finding it VERY good.

I'll add a thumbs up RedMage's suggestion of Walton's Among Others... one of my all time favorite genre books. (Though people's opinions seem pretty split down the middle on this one.)

Another favorite author of mine is Ursula Le Guin. I've never met a book of hers I don't like. If you want to take a break from novels, her short story collection The Wind's Twelve Quarters is really good.

Lastly, I'll say that I thought Okorafor's latest Lagoon was WAY better than Who Fears Death. Tighter prose, blistering pace to the plot, and lots of cool/crazy things happening every few pages.

 

[Contrarius]

Kate Elliott is definitely worth a mention.

I had her on my general list already, but with your rec I'll move her up towards the top.

Also, I'm reading the first volume in Glenda Larke's Forsaken Lands series and finding it VERY good.

I didn't have her -- thanks! I've added both The Lascar's Dagger and The Last Stormlord to my list.

Another favorite author of mine is Ursula Le Guin.

Le Guin was one of my faves back in the day (like, 30 years ago) when I was but knee-high to an old lady. But I haven't read anything of hers (aside from a reread of Earthsea) in years, so I've got Left Hand of Darkness on the list for a possible reread.

Lastly, I'll say that I thought Okorafor's latest Lagoon was WAY better than Who Fears Death. Tighter prose, blistering pace to the plot, and lots of cool/crazy things happening every few pages.

Thanks! I'll mark it down too.

 

[Contrarius]

P.S. to all -- I've decided that just one book from each of twelve authors is too easy, and it won't really give me a good enough flavor of each author. So I'm going to challenge myself to read at least TWO from each author (if two are available), with the proviso that if the first book is truly awful I won't punish myself with a second.

I'm editing my original post to reflect the new challenge.

 

[Contrarius]

This might help: http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk/c/c-j-cherryh/

It says that there's a new omnibus edition coming out later in the year there, too. Great news!

M.

Interestingly, I checked Amazon and these are available in audiobook but NOT in Kindle. But since I prefer to listen to sff rather than read it, that's okay by me.

 

[Bacchus]

I will also suggest:

• Jennifer Roberson's Tiger and Del books.
• C. J. Cherryh's Morgaine books
• Steph Swainston's Fourlands trilogy

Roberson's and Cherryh's books are both in the sword-and-sorcery subset, while Swainston's trilogy is bloody weird.

 

[Contrarius]

I will also suggest:

[*]Jennifer Roberson's Tiger and Del books.

Ooooo, I didn't have that one -- and the blurb intrigues me. I shall put it near the top of the list.

[*]C. J. Cherryh's Morgaine books

Thanks for backing up Mark on this. I've got em on the list, though a bit further down the list since I've read so much Cherryh in the past.

[*]Steph Swainston's Fourlands trilogy

Never heard of this one. Added to the list. Thanks!

 

[Contrarius]

I will also suggest:

• Jennifer Roberson's Tiger and Del books.

• 
  
  Bacchus has won the Internet.
  
  I'm highly amused by the opening scene in Sword-Dancer.
  
  ------
  
  In my line of work, I’ve seen all kinds of women. Some beautiful. Some ugly. Some just plain in between. And— being neither senile nor a man with aspirations to sainthood— whenever the opportunity presented itself (with or without my encouragement), I bedded the beautiful ones (although sometimes they bedded me), passed on the ugly ones altogether (not being a greedy man), but allowed myself discourse with the in-betweeners on a fairly regular basis, not being one to look the other way when such things as discourse and other entertainments are freely offered . So the in-betweeners made out all right, too.
  
  But when she walked into the hot, dusty cantina and slipped the hood of her white burnous, I knew nothing I’d ever seen could touch her. Certainly Ruth and Numa couldn’t, though they were the best the cantina had to offer. I was so impressed with the new girl I tried to swallow my aqivi the wrong way and wound up choking so badly Ruth got off my left knee and Numa slid off my right. Ruth commenced pounding on my back awhile and Numa— well-meaning as ever— poured more aqivi and tried to tip it down a throat already afire from the stuff.
  
  By the time I managed to extricate myself from both of them (no mean feat), the vision in the white burnous had looked away from me and was searching through the rest of the cantina with eyes as blue as Northern lakes.
  
  Now it so happens I haven’t ever seen any Northern lakes, being a Southroner myself, but I knew perfectly well those two pools she used for eyes matched the tales I’d heard of the natural wonders of the North.
  
  -------
  
  If the rest goes on like that, it could be a lot of fun.

 

[Bacchus]

If the rest goes on like that, it could be a lot of fun.

They get better with each successive volume. It's pure sword-and-sorcery type fantasy and the female lead is an extremely atypical character for female leads in fantasy. Another thing I liked very much was how Roberson handled the slowly growing trust between the two characters, in staccato fits and starts, yet very maturely done, without falling into clichés of any sort. The only thing that really annoyed me was the use of 'hoolies' as an expletive, but I got used to that.

And I forgot to mention Octavia E. Butler, who is probably my favourite female genre author besides Ursula K. Le Guin.

I recommend everything she's written, but start with her Patternmaster series first. You could read them in order of publication (as I did) or by internal chronology. There are 5 books in the 'series' (many of the novels are quite short) and Warner collected 4 of them (sans "Survivor") in an omnibus called "Seed to Harvest". It's a bleak, dystopian vision which "Patternmaster" (as the last chronological instalment, though published first) establishes at the very outset.

What *could* be a little troubling starting with "Patternmaster" is that the story opens midstream in a future history without much background, which is constructed in later writings. I'm fine with in medias starts since I enjoy figuring things out. Reading "Patternmaster" first can also be a little problematic thematically - not only does it present the world from quite a misanthropic lens, the social commentary that Butler is very good at (always in the subtext) isn't really fleshed out in this first effort, which works more as a fairly typical 'power-struggle' type adventure story. The theme which she introduces here in rudimentary form is excellent, that superhuman does not necessarily equate to better human, but is only properly developed with her sequels (which are all prequels to "Patternmaster).

I don't believe that Butler had an initial coherent plan to write this larger story as a continuing series (I'm guessing), so reading them in publication order gives you some insight into how she developed the various themes/motifs first established in "Patternmaster". Then again, one of my friends read the omnibus edition by internal chronology and she loved it as it was. "Wild Seed" is first chronologically and is much more skilfully written than "Patternmaster", but "Patternmaster" has the vibrant, bombastic energy of a healthy first child.

Or you could sample her through a short story collection called "Bloodchild" (get the second edition as it contains a few more stories).

In any case, I highly recommend Butler.

 

[Contrarius]

And I forgot to mention Octavia E. Butler, who is probably my favourite female genre author besides Ursula K. Le Guin.

Another good suggestion. But I've already read a bunch of hers as well, so I'll stick her further down the list to pick out something I've missed.

 

[Anglachel]

Well, no list of "best female fantasy authors" is complete if it lacks Michelle West's name. Seriously, most underrated fantasy author ever in my not so humble opinion. Deep worldbuilding, very good characterization and character depth, above average prose.
If you only want to try one book, it's a bit hard to decide which to recommend you. She has three series (the latest is still ongoing) that are set in the same world (those are the ones i read, she has written more series under another name...see the link to her page below). The Sacred Hunt (2 books) is the first she has written, followed by The Sun Sword (6 books). She is still writing books for her latest series set in that world. This series is called House War (so far 5 books).
If you want more information, go to her website http://michellesagara.com/bibliography/.

I'd read the books in publishing order BUT i have to admit that she develops as an author and so i'd rate the Sun Sword books higher in quality than the Sacred Hunt books. Mind you, the SH is still not bad...not bad at all. Just wanting to give you as good a picture as possible I'm still reading House War, so i can't comment on that series (as said, it's also not finished yet).