reading female authors 2015 -- which next?

[bard`s song]

Not the biggest fan of female fantasy authors tbh but the "Wild Hunt" series by Elspeth Cooper is among my favorites. She took elements from nearly every successful fantasy book published within the last 10 years or so - however I really enjoyed the first 2 books (have not read book 3 so far).

 

[Ntschotschi]

I see that Julian May isn't mentioned, she's one of the best, especially the "Many-coloured land" series, very recommendable!

JV Jones with her "Sword of Ice" series is very good as well, unfortunately it takes very long between books. Same's true of Elizabeth Haydon.

Kate Elliot is one of my favorites too, all of her books are outstanding.

Katherine Kerr and her Deverry series is certainly a classic.

Other authors are already mentionend.

 

[Contrarius]

I see that Julian May isn't mentioned

Wow, another one that I didn't even know was female.

In fact, I looked her up to make sure you were right (you are) -- and just look at this list of pseudonyms on her:

Bob Cunningham, Judy Dikty, Lee N. Falconer, John Feilen, Wolfgang Amadeus Futslogg, Matthew G. Grant, Granny Roseboro, Ian Thorne, Jean Wright Thorne, George Zanderbergen, The Editors of Creative.

Quite a list -- and almost em male names!

I think I read her Pliocene books maaaaaaaaaaany years ago, but I honestly don't remember for sure. I had the first one on my general list for a read/reread, but now that I know she's a she I'll move her over to the read-women list. Thanks!

JV Jones with her "Sword of Ice" series is very good as well

Thanks for the rec!

Same's true of Elizabeth Haydon.

I didn't have her. I see some good reviews of Rhapsody on GR by people I respect, and also some very baaaaaaad reviews. The combination of good and bad reviews almost make the book intriguing enough to try out.

Kate Elliot

Got her on the list.

Katherine Kerr and her Deverry series is certainly a classic.

I've got Daggerspell on the list. Thanks for the additional rec!

 

[Contrarius]

Not the biggest fan of female fantasy authors tbh but the "Wild Hunt" series by Elspeth Cooper is among my favorites. She took elements from nearly every successful fantasy book published within the last 10 years or so - however I really enjoyed the first 2 books (have not read book 3 so far).

Thanks, Bard! I've got her first book on the list.

 

[Astra2]

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?

A few of my favorites I haven't seen mentioned: P.C. Hodgell (starting with God Stalk), absolutely anything by Kage Baker (though her series starting with Anvil of the World is my favorite), Liz Williams, Martha Wells, Sharon Lee and Steve Miller's Liad series (50% credit for a husband-wife team), and Doris Egan's The Complete Ivory.

 

[ravenoak]

I was going to recommend Blackout and All Clear by Connie Willis, but someone beat me to it right out of the gate.

I would also recommend the Diplomacy of Wolves series by Holly Lisle, the Black Jewels series by Anne Bishop, and The Ship Who Sang by Anne McCaffrey as some thing old.
(I'll also sneak in here that I'm a female SFF published writer with a bestselling fantasy book out--Amaskan's Blood--and a sci-fi novella due out in May.)

 

[DeckardLee]

I have not read that many fantasy/horrors written by female authors. However, I have read a lot of them by male authors and I can say that the Coldfire Trilogy by C. S. Friedman is one of the most interesting series I've read recently. It's incredibly dark and you might say depressing so watch out for that. But, it's entertaining and explores the darker, inner workings of the human psyche quite effectively.

 

[Heather Myst]

It has been a long time since I read the Coldfire series but I do remember enjoying it.

I also enjoyed Maria Snyder's Poison Study. I'm not sure I would endorse the follow up books but I did like this book.

 

[Lucas Thorn]

i'm just here to vote for kameron hurley again.

her books are amazing. her bel dame series is worth any fantasy reader reading. in my mind it's similar to dune, in that it crosses the fantasy/scifi genres in a way which makes it more fantasy than scifi. for me, it was one of the most original scifi novels i've read in a long time, too. just the worldbuilding is an example of genius. it smells and tastes alien from the beginning, regardless of gender concepts. i find a lot of scifi is heavily influenced by something more star trek these days, but kameron hurley's novels just seemed to pretty much ignore everything and go her own way.

her mirror empire series does the same to fantasy.

powerful stuff.

is there a word limit to these posts? i can rant some more.

 

[Contrarius]

Sorry, Astra! I've answered your post twice, but both times my computer has managed to eat the response before it got posted. Trying one more time.

A few of my favorites I haven't seen mentioned: P.C. Hodgell (starting with God Stalk)

I didn't know anything about her -- have added God Stalk to my list. Thanks!

absolutely anything by Kage Baker (though her series starting with Anvil of the World is my favorite)

I did have her, but I've moved her up the list.

Liz Williams

I didn't have her either.

Martha Wells

I read and enjoyed The Cloud Roads sometime in the last year. I'll probably read the rest of the trilogy eventually, even though the multiple species did seem a bit like Star Trek species to me (all the different species in the towns they went to lived in the same types of houses, ate the same foods, and so on -- they seemed like people in masks sometimes).

[Sharon Lee and Steve Miller's Liad series (50% credit for a husband-wife team)

Nah, that one doesn't count!

and Doris Egan's The Complete Ivory.

That sounds like fun -- I'll check it out. Thanks!

 

[Contrarius]

I have not read that many fantasy/horrors written by female authors. However, I have read a lot of them by male authors and I can say that the Coldfire Trilogy by C. S. Friedman is one of the most interesting series I've read recently.

I've read the first book in the trilogy, and I did enjoy it despite its problems. I keep meaning to read the rest of it -- I probably ought to bump that up the list too. Thanks for the reminder!

 

[Corwwyn]

Some suggestions:

C J Cherryh - The Morgaine Chronicles (Gate of Ivrel, Well of Shiuan, Fires of Azeroth, Exile's Gate), Wave without a Shore
Zenna Henderson - Pilgrimmage
Ursula K LeGuin - The Earthsea Trilogy (forget any later Earthsea works though)

Andre Alice Norton - Catseye, Star Man's Son, Uncharted Stars
Doris Piserchia - A Billion Days of Earth, Earthchild
Sheri S Tepper - The True Game

Marion Zimmer Bradley - Stormqueen!, Two to Conquer, Hawkmistress, Winds of Darkover, Heirs of Hammerfell, Hunters of the Red Moon
Caroly Clowes - The Pandora Principle (ok, it's a star trek novel, but outstanding nonetheless)
Louise Cooper - The Book of Paradox

J Hunter Holly - The Mind Traders
Tanith Lee - The Storm Lord
Elizabeth A Lynn - Watchtower
Pamela Sargent - Earthseed

 

[DeckardLee]

I've read the first book in the trilogy, and I did enjoy it despite its problems. I keep meaning to read the rest of it -- I probably ought to bump that up the list too. Thanks for the reminder!

All of the books in the trilogy tend to have this part where the story just completely drags on needlessly. Even when for someone like me who enjoyed each book, the sections were tedious. So, be prepared for that. Push through though and it'll be worth it.

 

[Randy M.]

Currently reading a story collection by Theodora Goss, In the Forest of Forgetting -- the first 4 stories are terrific and beautiful -- and it's reminding me that some of the best story collections I've read in the last 10-15 years were by women:

Holly Phillips: In the Palace of Repose
Caitlin Kiernan: To Charles Fort, With Love
Susannah Clarke: The Ladies of Grace Adieu
M. Rickert: Holiday
Sarah Monette: The Bone Key (leaning toward horror, but not gore)
Kathe Koja: Extremities (leaning more toward horror without gore, occasionally with a surrealist vision)


Randy M.

 

[Contrarius]

Update --

The original challenge was to read at least 2 books by each of at least 12 female authors. Here it is, a week before May, and so far I've read:

Juliet Marillier -- 1
Carol Berg -- 4
Jennifer Roberson -- 3 (and I WILL read the rest of this series)
Ann Leckie -- 2
Patricia McKillip -- 3
Connie Willis -- 2 (really 1 -- but, hey, I guess I'd count Lord of the Rings as 3)
Elizabeth Bear -- 2
Carrie Vaughn -- 1
Julian May -- 1
Helene Wecker -- 1/2

So far, I've seen nothing to change my mind on my contention that I could distinguish female from male authors by style and content -- but that wasn't the point of this challenge, anyway. Regardless of author, these have been enjoyable books, and I have many more to look forward to.

 

[Contrarius]

Well, no list of "best female fantasy authors" is complete if it lacks Michelle West's name.

Sorry, I missed your original posting.

West is one of those authors that I keep thinking about reading, but then never get around to. She's definitely on the list this time around.

 

[Contrarius]

Currently reading a story collection by Theodora Goss, In the Forest of Forgetting -- the first 4 stories are terrific and beautiful -- and it's reminding me that some of the best story collections I've read in the last 10-15 years were by women:

Thanks, Randy!

I'm kind of prejudiced against shorts, but I really shouldn't be. Especially considering that Bradbury's shorts have been some of my all-time favorite reads since I was just a wee nerd. I should put some of your suggestions on my list too!

 

[Jo Zebedee]

Kameron Hurley, Bujold, Francis Knight. I've enjoyed all of them recently. And Gillian Flynn.

As an aside, I love being a female sf author. I've never had anything other than support. And I felt unrestrained writing my novel - there were few expectations of me, I wasn't in any trope.

 

[Ntschotschi]

Rebecca Bradley wrote the series "Lady of Gil", it is very cool and funny. I'd so loved to read more by her but unfortunatey I think she stopped writing fantasy after that.
Sarah Micklem is a gem. Sadly she has only published two books in her Firethorn series and I had to wait years for the second book.

 

[TrackerNeil]

Great thread.

I've been reading Pauline Ross, author the Brightmoon series, and I recommend her work to anyone. I read The Plains of Kallanash last year, and I am just now finishing The Fire Mages. Her work is smart, well-written and refreshingly free of many of fantasy cliches that can annoy you.

Full disclosure: She's an indie author, which I know some hate, but I'd put her up against any tradpub author in terms of the strength of her writing.