02-23-2009, 06:47 AM | #1 |
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Ladies, best female characters?
I am looking for answers just from the ladies on this one. What modern books/authors do you find have well written female lead characters?
Now, everyone is different and has their own opinion so I'm not asking you to speak for every woman or anything. Just give me your view. Through the years I've heard different authors trashed because a female character is written (in their opinion) horribly. Everything from just not being represented well to being described as "Men with tits". -MJ (I didn't search to see if this topic has been covered, 'cause even if it is we have alot of new members I wouldn't mind getting a fresh opinion from) |
02-23-2009, 07:54 AM | #2 |
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I can't really remember any books I've read with only one or two leading characters...
But there's one female lead character I really liked and that is Charis from Taliesin, the first book of the Pendragon Cycle by Stephen R. Lawhead. You follow her from the time she's a vain girl, through several world shattering (literally) events, to her being a grown up woman. She's a female in a time when women weren't that important, and the writer really makes her a woman with a strong spirit, without making her masculine (aka "man with tits"). Frank Herbert also puts his women down as strong persons, who are acutely aware of their femininity. Thea Beckman (a Dutch writer of young adult and children's books) also knew how to make her women female and yet strong, without ever forcing them into a role they shouldn't have taken considering the environment. |
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02-23-2009, 10:55 AM | #3 |
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Have you read any of the Rev. Claire Ferguson books from Julia Spencer-Flemming. I thought they were rather good. I've read the first two, and plan to read more. They are Murder Mystery with a bit of romance thrown in.
BOb BTW: I'm not a lady. Hope it's ok that I posted in this thread. Last edited by pilotbob; 02-23-2009 at 11:15 AM. |
02-23-2009, 11:14 AM | #4 |
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I love the women in Barbara Michaels' "Ammie Come Home" series - Ruth in the original "Ammie", Karen and Cheryl in "Shattered Silk" and Rachel in "Stitches in Time". Also another Karen in her "Houses of Stone" - an undervalued classic in my opinion. :-)
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02-23-2009, 11:40 AM | #5 |
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And surely we must mention Vera, of Harv and Vera's Adventure in Panama:
https://www.mobileread.com/forums/showthread.php?t=39540. |
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02-23-2009, 04:00 PM | #6 |
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Lois Bujold McMasters has some very strong and interesting female characters in her novels.
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02-24-2009, 12:20 AM | #7 |
Pensively observing.
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There always some women characters that you know you will always remember. These are a couple of mine.
'Angelique' by Sergeanne Golon. 'Mma Ramotse' by Elexander McCall Smith. I am sure that there are more that I could remember, but for different reasons these two stay with me. |
02-24-2009, 08:52 AM | #8 |
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I particularly like Amelia Peabody from the series of the same name by Elizabeth Peters.
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02-24-2009, 09:16 AM | #9 |
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Not a book, I know, but "Xena, Warrior Princess" is close to my ideal female character .
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02-24-2009, 10:06 AM | #10 |
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02-25-2009, 01:21 AM | #11 |
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I'm a guy but I see other men answering so I thought I'd toss in my two cents. In about half of of CJ Cherryh's books, the lead characters are strong females and in the ones where the lead char is male, there are strong female characters as well.
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02-25-2009, 01:49 PM | #12 |
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02-25-2009, 01:55 PM | #13 |
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Guy too, so I'll keep it brief -
Maggie Moran, 'Breathing Lessons' by Anne Tyler. |
02-25-2009, 02:09 PM | #14 |
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Hmm...I tend to think of Joanna Brady from J.A. Jance's Joanna Brady series as well written. She is a strong woman but also struggles with balancing being a working mom and with her own relationship with her mother.
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02-25-2009, 06:40 PM | #15 |
Which book will be next ?
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Thinking of Tessa McCamfrey, from the Barbed Coil (J.V. Jones).
Almost ordinary young woman, who finds a ring that transports her in a "medieval" world, where she finds herself part (important one) of a force in a war. Great fantasy book for me ! Strong and realistic character ! |
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